Kashi ropeway

Kashi ropeway is an under construction aerial cable car urban transit system in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. It will be the first public transport ropeway of India. It will be 3.75 km long with five stations connecting Varanasi Cantonment railway station to Godowlia Chowk. It is expected to open in May 2025.

History
When the development plan of metro was rejected in June 2018, the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) asked Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) to prepare mass rapid transit system (MRTS) plan for the city in December 2019. RITES included ropeway and light metro in MRTS plan. It is being constructed under Parvatmala Pariyojana.

The project was presented by WAPCOS Limited in November 2021 and the first tender was floated in December 2021 but was repeatedly delayed later. The two Austrian engineering firms Salzmann and Bernard Group planned the project. In December 2021, VDA authorised National Highways Logistics Management Ltd (NHLML), a subsidiary of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to execute the project which also conducted feasibility study. VDA and NHLML signed memorandum of understating with Government of Uttar Pradesh and Indian Railways. The Government of Uttar Pradesh acquired the land for stations and towers. Sai Geotechnical Engineer Pvt Ltd conducted the geotechnical investigation.

In April–June 2022, the tender was floated by the NHLML. In December 2022, the NHLML awarded the contract worth inr 8070000000 to Vishwa Samudra Engineering Private Limited and Bartholet Maschinenbau AG of Switzerland. The bid price was inr 8156000000. It will be constructed using hybrid annuity model, in which 60% and 40% of the cost will be paid during the construction period and operation-maintenance period respectively. The company will maintain the ropeway for 15 years.

On 24 March 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation of the ropeway. The construction will cost inr 6450000000. It will facilitate movement of local people, tourists and pilgrims to Godowlia, Kashi Corridor, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Dashashwamedh Ghat. The construction and operation are expected to start in May 2023 and in May 2025 respectively.

It will be the first public transport ropeway of India and third in the world after Mi Teleférico in Bolivia and Mexicable in Mexico City.

Technical features
The line will be 3.75 km long. It will operate from Varanasi Cantonment railway station to Godowlia Chowk. It will have three other stations: Kashi Vidyapith (Bharat Mata Mandir), Rath Yatra and Girja Ghar. There will be no passenger exchange at Girja Ghar. Total 30 towers with height ranging from 10 to 55 metre will be constructed.

It is expected to transport 96,000 passengers per day. It will have a maximum capacity of 3000 passengers per hour per direction. It will have 153 cars with capacity of 10 passengers each. It will operate 16 hours a day and will complete the trip in 16 minutes.