India¡¯s first and longest ropeway will connect Mumbai with the famous Elephanta Island in the Arabian sea, and the Mumbai Port Trust will oversee the construction.
The 8-km ropeway will begin from Sewri in Mumbai¡¯s east coast and end at Raigad district¡¯s Elephanta Island, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Reuters
Mumbai Port Trust deputy chief engineer PK Sinha said there will be few stops en route and that the cable height, capacity of cars and other technical details are being worked out.
Declining to reveal the project cost, he said it will be India¡¯s first ropeway across the sea.
Urban News Digest
Known locally as Gharapuri Caves, the small 16 sq. km island has several archaeological remains pointing to its rich cultural heritage, including the famous temples carved out of rocks.
There has been evidence of settlement on the island from 2nd century BC, but the rock-cut temples are believed to have been constructed around 5th-6th century AD.
MbPT spokesperson VR Jogalekar said the proposed ropeway will offer a magnificent view of mudflats on the east coast, which come alive during the flamingo season, the mangroves and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link to the north.
Reuters
The approximately 40-minute ride by a 20-seater cable car, with a transit station midway will prove to be a major boost to tourism.
At present, approximately 5,000 domestic and foreign tourists visit the island, inhabited by around 1,200 residents, mostly fisherfolk and farmers, in three tiny port villages called Rajbandar, Shentbandar and Morabandar.
From the main jetty, tourists can hop aboard a toy train which takes them to the base of the hill, a distance of around 600 metres, for the climb up to the caves complex.
BCCL
Accessible only by ferries from the mainland or motor launches from the Gateway of India, it takes around an hour for the 10-km cruise from Mumbai and vice versa.