Kamakhya Ropeway Project has been approved but the on ground construction work still remains to be started
Despite receiving approval and moving through key planning stages, the ₹213 crore Kamakhya Ropeway Project is yet to witness significant construction activity on the ground, with officials attributing the delay partly to issues surrounding the adjoining Kamakhya Access Corridor Project.
ALSO READ: E20 Fuel Rollout Brings New Challenges for Older Vehicles
The ropeway project, planned to connect Kamakhya Railway Station with the Maa Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hill, is expected to transform access to one of Assam’s most visited religious destinations. However, the project’s progress has remained slower than anticipated, even as the state government continues to push for its early completion.
The proposed 1.43-kilometre ropeway system is designed to reduce the travel time between the railway station and the temple from around 20 minutes by road to nearly six minutes. The project will feature 18 gondolas with a peak capacity of transporting around 16,500 passengers daily, easing pressure on the narrow and congested hill roads leading to the shrine.
For decades, reaching the Kamakhya Temple, particularly during peak occasions like the annual Ambubachi Mela, has remained a challenge due to traffic congestion and limited road space. The ropeway is expected to provide easier access for elderly devotees, people with disabilities and visitors during major religious gatherings.
The project is part of the broader push by the Centre to expand ropeway-based connectivity through the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala, launched under the 2022 Union Budget. The programme aims to develop ropeway infrastructure across the country, especially in difficult terrains where conventional road expansion faces technical challenges.
Recently, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the progress of the Kamakhya Ropeway Project along with other infrastructure initiatives in a meeting with officials of the National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML). He directed officials to accelerate ongoing works and ensure timely completion while maintaining quality standards.
However, the ropeway project has faced delays due to its connection with the Kamakhya Access Corridor Project, which involves overlapping infrastructure components despite being implemented by separate agencies.
The access corridor project had earlier faced legal hurdles after two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) were filed before the Gauhati High Court over concerns related to the shrine’s associated temples, caves and underground water systems.
Following studies by the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, and technical assessments by IIT Guwahati, the court cleared the project in February. IIT Guwahati recommended strict adherence to depth restrictions identified during hydrological and geophysical studies to avoid any impact on underground water pathways beneath Nilachal Hill.
The state government has since initiated steps to begin construction of the Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor, also known as Maa Kamakhya Divya Pariyojana, after addressing concerns raised by residents and business owners likely to be affected by the redevelopment work.
Sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) scheme at a cost of ₹498.37 crore, the access corridor project is being implemented by the Public Works Department (PWD). Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project on February 4, 2024.
Officials said the initial tender process for the ropeway project has been completed and construction activity is expected to gain momentum in the coming months once related issues are resolved.
Meanwhile, the state government is also exploring plans for another ropeway connecting Sonaram Field in Bharalumukh with Kamakhya Temple to further improve connectivity to Nilachal Hill.
Beyond improving access for devotees, authorities expect the ropeway project to boost tourism and benefit local businesses, including vendors, hospitality operators and transport service providers around the Kamakhya area.