'400 travelers at a time, 15-18 min journey...': Kerala govt greenlights Wayanad’s ropeway project
Wayanad: The long-awaited ropeway project in Wayanad is finally taking shape after years of planning. The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) has received government approval to implement a ropeway project in Wayanad, which will be built through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The project is being developed in collaboration with the Western Ghats Development Limited, led by the Wayanad Chamber of Commerce.
The ropeway will start from the base of Wayanad Ghat, near the first hairpin bend, and will extend up to Lakkidi. The project now requires clearance from the Forest Department, and efforts to obtain the necessary permissions are underway. The 3.9-kilometre ropeway will pass through over a kilometre of forest area, for which five acres of land in Noolpuzha have been handed over to the Forest Department in compensation.
The project will feature various facilities at the terminals, including a park, a star hotel, a cafeteria, an amphitheatre, and an auditorium. To enhance tourism, special bus services will be arranged from Lakkidi to key tourist destinations in Wayanad
This project is expected to provide a significant boost to tourism and infrastructure development in Wayanad. The project proposal was considered at a meeting on October 20, 2023. Following this, an upper-level meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary reviewed the plan and directed KSIDC to implement the project through the PPP model. The Western Ghats Development Society has been working on the project since 2017.
Key Features of the Ropeway:
- The ropeway will span 3.9 kilometres from Adivaram to Lakkidi. The ropeway will be supported by 30 to 40 towers along the route.
- A total of 40 air-conditioned cable cars will be in operation, each with the capacity to carry 6 to 8 people. At full capacity, 400 passengers will be able to travel at once.
- The one-way journey time will be just 15 to 18 minutes, significantly reducing the current 45-minute road travel time through the ghat.
- An ambulance cable car will also be available for emergency medical transport from Wayanad to Adivaram, providing much-needed relief for the region, which faces challenges in medical accessibility.
- The estimated total cost of the ropeway, terminal development, and associated tourism infrastructure is expected to be around ₹200 crore.