UP Assembly polls delay Kashi Ropeway project

Varanasi, Feb 3 (IANS) Varanasi’s ropeway public transport system has been further delayed as the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) has extended the date of completing the process of filing tender in view of the Assembly elections.VDA chairman and divisional commissioner Deepak Agrawal, said: “Owing to promulgation of model code of conduct for the assembly election in the state, the revised last date of filing tender for ropeway project has been further extended till March 31.”The VDA also issued a press release mentioning that as no bidder could file a tender till the last date for the ropeway project, it was decided to keep the tender process open till March 31.The officials said that in a pre-bidding meet last year, many leading global ropeway and ski-lift manufacturers from the US, Austria, France and Malaysia had taken part in the process and displayed interest in executing the Rs 410 crore ambitious ropeway venture in Kashi.But, as massive paper work was required to file the tenders by companies and they could not complete it within the scheduled time due to Christmas vacations, they had sought extension of the last date from December 23, 2021 and the same was extended till January 31, 2022.However, as the process for assembly elections also started by the end of December, the participating companies preferred to wait to take part in the tender process, they said.The VDA officials are confident about completion of tender process for the ropeway project as they are also convinced with the project to be launched on a public private partnership model and its viability in densely populated old city areas.The reason behind this confidence of the nodal agency for execution of ropeway project is the participation of representatives of six companies, including ECL Management Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, Doppelmayr Garaventa of Austria and French firm Poma Ropeways in the pre-bid meeting, which was convened by the VDA in November 2021.The state cabinet had given final approval to the 3.65 km ropeway project proposed in pilot phase for the old city area of Kashi, which will come between Varanasi Junction (Cantt railway station) and Girijaghar crossing (Gudaulia) via Rathyatra, last year.The service will start with 220 cable cars, which will be available at escalator-equipped stations in a 90-120 second span. Each cable car will take 15 minutes to complete the end-to-end journey, said officials.The ropeway system was opted as a MRTS component, following the rejection of the Metro rail plan for Kashi in June 2018.–IANSksk/