Key Points

It will invest Rs 4,081 crore in the project, to be executed by AEL's Roads, Metro, Rail and Water (RMRW) division. The 12.9 km ropeway is expected to transform one of India's most challenging pilgrimages by reducing the journey time from the current 8 to 9-hour trek to just 36 minutes, the company said in a release.

Once completed, the ropeway will be capable of carrying 1,800 passengers per hour per direction, easing the arduous journey for lakhs of devotees visiting the Kedarnath shrine every year. Kedarnath attracts around 20 lakh pilgrims annually, and the new ropeway is projected to not only make the travel safer and faster but also improve the overall pilgrim experience.

The project falls under the Government of India's National Ropeways Development Programme, 'Parvatmala and will be developed on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode on a revenue-share basis with NHLML. According to the company, construction is estimated to take six years, after which AEL will operate the ropeway for 29 years.

"The Kedarnath ropeway is more than an engineering project - it is a bridge between devotion and modern infrastructure," said Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, as per the release.

The release further stated, "By making this sacred journey safer, faster and more accessible, we honour the faith of millions while creating new opportunities for Uttarakhand's people through our partnership with NHLML and the Government of Uttarakhand. This prestigious project reflects our commitment to building infrastructure that not only serves the nation but also uplifts its people."

Apart from providing improved connectivity, the project is expected to generate direct and indirect employment opportunities and significantly boost tourism in the region.

He further noted that the project reflects Adani Group's commitment to building infrastructure that not only strengthens the nation but also uplifts communities.

Adani Enterprises, which entered the roads and highways sector in 2018, has steadily expanded its portfolio under the RMRW division. Currently, it has 14 projects across Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) modes, covering more than 5,000 lane kilometres.

The Kedarnath ropeway project is being viewed as a landmark step that will combine technological expertise with spiritual significance, providing pilgrims with a safer and more comfortable passage while opening up new economic avenues for the state of Uttarakhand.

- ANI