Eight-Year freeze on Darjeeling Ride Set to End
GREEN SIGNAL FOR ROPEWAY
Holidaymakers in Darjeeling can soon add another must do to their cheek-list ; the ropeway ride that has been suspended for the past eight years.
The state public works-department has issued a no-objection certificate that will allow the ropeway to resume commercial operations. “A no-objection certificate has been issued two days ago. The ropeway will resume commercial operations very soon , “ the PWD secretary.
A joint venture between the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation and Ropeway Services, the service was stopped after an accident in 2003 killed four tourists. Three cabins had then jumped the cable and plunged 50 feet.
The freeze meant that tourists in Bengal had to make do with ropeways at amusement parks, which dose not infuse the same thrill-and a chance to shriek in delight or fright-as sliding down a verdant slope in a able car.
The 2-Km long Darjeeling – Rangit valley ropeway ran between Singamari, near North Point- School in Darjeeling town at 6,500 ft , and Vah Tukvar tea garden at 6000 ft. A one-way ride on the rope way used to take about 20 minutes. The rope way in the serene setting was popular among tourists as it offered a view of the Tea Gardens.
An audit was carried out by Metallurgicland Engineering Consultants (India) Limited, a central Government undertaking , after which the PWD department gave the certificate to resume the ropeway service.
Friday, 6th January 2012Recent Post
