Aerial lifts in India

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Gulmarg's Gondola lift in Kashmir. Gulmarg Gondola Seen101.jpg
Gulmarg's Gondola lift in Kashmir.
Rajgir's Chairlift ropeway in Bihar. Rope way, Rajgir.jpg
Rajgir's Chairlift ropeway in Bihar.
View of Palani from Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple Ropeway in Tamil Nadu. Many ropeways in India are built to connect temples atop hills. View of Palani from the rope way leading to temple.jpg
View of Palani from Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple Ropeway in Tamil Nadu. Many ropeways in India are built to connect temples atop hills.

The Aerial lift in India, also known as ropeways or cableways in India, consists of various Cable transport systems such as Aerial tramway, Chairlift, Gondola lift and Material ropeway where cabins, open chairs or containers are hauled above the ground with the help of cables. [1] [2] With 30% of India being mountainous, aerial lifts offer an efficient mode of connectivity in these terrains where roads and railways are otherwise difficult to build. [3]

Contents

While historically restricted to hill stations and pilgrimage sites, under Indian government's Parvatmala Scheme (lit.'mountain garland scheme'), India envisages spending 1,250 billion (US$15 billion) in public–private partnership (PPP) mode over five years till 2030 to build 200 new ropeway projects of more than 1200 km length, to decongest the traffic on the narrow roads of big cities where implementation of other modes would pose challenges, in addition to mountainous locations. [3] [1] [2] This article also contains a list of glass bridge skywalks in tourist locations.

Darjeeling Ropeway in West Bengal was India's first ropeway opened in 1968. [4] Rajgir Ropeway in Bihar, a 333m-long chairlift ropeway built in 1960s, is India's first chairlift ropeway. [5] As of 2024, the 4 km-long Auli Ropeway in Uttarakhand is India's longest [6] and the world's second-longest (single section) ropeway behind Vietnam's 7,899.9 m long Hòn Thơm cable car, [7] and when completed the under-construction 5.5 km-long Mussoorie-Dehradun Ropeway will be the longest in India. [6] Kashi ropeway is India's first urban ropeway, [8] and world's third urban public transport ropeway behind Bolivia's Mi Teleférico opened in 2014 and Mexico City's Mexicable opened in 2021. [9]

As of 2025, all 36 states and union territories (UT) of India have either existing or planned ropeways, except in the UTs of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

History

The first aerial lifts in India were being built during the 1960s and 1970s, primarily in hill stations and religious sites. Notably, the Darjeeling ropeway was the first modern ropeway built in India. A chairlift ropeway was then built at Rajgir Hills, Bihar as a 'gift' to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Rajgir by the famous Japanese Buddhist monk Fuji Guruji (Nichidatsu Fujii). Political activist Jai Prakash Narayan was the first person to take the ropeway ride. [5]

Since the 2000s, state governments and private operators have developed several ropeways with modern cabins, automated drive systems and higher safety standards. With the announcment of Parvatmala Pariyojana in 2022, the importance and popularity of ropeways has increased. The project was aimed at creating sustainable ropeway infrastructures in both mountainous and urban regions under a Public–private partnership (PPP) model. [3] [1] [2]

Terminology

Indian aerial lifts use a range of technologies depending on terrain, needs and passenger volume. Cabins on modern systems are typically closed, climate resilient and equipped with CCTV surveillance, emergency communication and automated braking systems.

Legalisation

Aerial lift projects in India are regulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and implemented by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) under its National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), which oversees new projects under Parvatmala Pariyojana. The new ropeways are being aligned with Make in India initiative, which mandates at least 50% of indigenous components in construction. [10]

Tourist ropeways

Operational

As of 6 October 2025
List of operational tourist ropeways in India
SystemLocaleTypeLengthOpenedNotes
Ambaji ropeway Gabbar Hill, GujaratMonocabled gondola363 m (1,191 ft)1998Opened windows. [11]
Auli ropeway Joshimath, UttarakhandAerial tramway4,150 m (13,620 ft)1993Glass windows. [12]
Bambleshwari Temple ropeway Dongargarh, ChattisgarhBi-cabled gondola lift387 m (1,270 ft)2021Glass windows. [13]
Bhaleydhunga ropeway Namchi district, SikkimMonocable gondola lift3,500 m (11,500 ft)2024Glass windows. [14]
Bhatta falls ropeway Mussoorie, UttarakhandMonocable gondola lift308 m (1,010 ft)2019 [15]
Bheraghat ropeway Bhedaghat, Madhya PradeshMonocable gondola lift600 m (2,000 ft)2025Glass windows. [16]
Bhopal ropewayMahaveer Giri, Madhya PradeshMonocable gondola lift600 m (2,000 ft)UnknownGlass windows. [17]
Chandi devi ropeway Haridwar, UttarakhandMonocable gondola lift740 m (2,430 ft)1997Glass windows. [18]
Chitrakoot ropeway Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh Monocable gondola lift302 m (991 ft)UnknownOpened windows. [19]
Darjeeling Ropeway Darjeeling, West BengalMonocable gondola lift5,000 m (16,000 ft) [a] 1968Glass windows. India's first ropeway. [4]
Dewas ropeway Dewas, Madhya PradeshMonocable gondola lift367 m (1,204 ft)2017Glass windows. [20]
Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple ropeway Palani, Tamil NaduMonocable gondola lift323 m (1,060 ft)2004Open windows. [21]
Digha ropeway Digha, West BengalMonocable gondola lift194 m (636 ft)2015Glass windows. [22]
Gangtok ropewayGangtok, SikkimMonocable gondola lift1,600 m (5,200 ft)2003Glass windows. Plans to convert into urban ropeway. [23] [24]
Girnar ropeway Mount Girnar, GujaratMonocable gondola lift2,300 m (7,500 ft)2020Glass windows. [25]
Gulmarg Gondola Gulmarg, Jammu and KashmirMonocable gondola lift4,631 m (15,194 ft) [b] 1998Ski resort gondola lift; Glass windows. [26]
Gun Hill ropeway Mussoorie, UttarakhandAerial tramway400 m (1,300 ft)1971Glass windows. India's first aerial tramway. [27]
Hirakud Dam ropeway Hirakud, OdishaMonocable gondola lift412 m (1,352 ft)UnknownGlass windows. [28]
Jammu ropewayJammu, Jammu and KashmirMonocable gondola lift1,660 km (1,030 mi)2020Glass windows. [29]
Jakhu Temple ropeway Shimla, Himachal PradeshAerial tramway600 m (2,000 ft)2017Glass windows. [30]
Kailasagiri ropeway Visakhapatnam, Andhra PradeshMonocable gondola lift375 m (1,230 ft)2004Glass windows. [31]
Kolkata Science City ropeway Kolkata, West BengalMonocable gondola lift400 m (1,300 ft)1998Opened windows. [32]
Laxman Pahadi ropeway Chitrakoot district, Uttar PradeshMonocable gondola lift256 m (840 ft)2019Glass windows. [33]
Maa Sharda ropeway Maihar, Madhya PradeshMonocable gondola lift760 m (2,490 ft)UnknownGlass windows. [34]
Madan Negi ropewaySandana, UttarakhandAerial trmaway995 m (3,264 ft)UnknownCaged windows. [35]
Marjing Polo Complex ropeway Imphal, ManipurMonocable gondola lift600 m (2,000 ft)2025Glass windows. [36]
Nainital ropeway Nainital, UttarakhandAerial tramway705 m (2,313 ft)1990Glass windows. [37]
Nandankanan ropeway Bhubaneswar, OdishaMonocable gondola lift618 m (2,028 ft)2023Partial glass windows. [38]
Parwanoo ropewayParwanoo Timber Trail, Himachal PradeshAerial tramway1,800 m (5,900 ft)1988Partially opened glass windows. [39]
Pavagadh ropeway Pavagadh Hill, GujaratMonocable gondola lift774 m (2,539 ft)1986Glass windows. [40]
Pushkar Savitri Mata Temple ropeway Pushkar, RajasthanMonocable gondola lift720 m (2,360 ft)2015Partially opened glass windows. [41]
Rajgir ropeway Rajgir, BiharChairlift333 m (1,093 ft)1969Single seater. India's first chairlift ropeway. [5]
Saputara ropeway Saputara, GujaratMonocable gondola lift920 m (3,020 ft)1991Partially opened glass windows. [42]
Shri Naina Devi ropeway Sri Naina Devi, Himachal PradeshMonocable gondola lift500 m (1,600 ft)1997Caged windows. [43]
Srisailam ropeway Srisailam, Andhra PradeshMonocable gondola lift700 m (2,300 ft)2005Opened windows. [44]
Sundha Mata Temple ropeway Jalore district, RajasthanMonocable gondola lift800 km (500 mi)2006Glass windows. [45]
Surkanda Devi ropewaySaklana range, UttarakhandMonocable gondola lift502 m (1,647 ft)2022Glass windows. [46]
Tara Tarini Mandir ropeway Purushottampur, OdishaMonocable gondola lift333 m (1,093 ft)2013Glass windows. [47]
Vaishno Devi Temple ropeway Katra, Jammu and Kashmir Aerial tramway375 m (1,230 ft)2018Glass windows; Air conditioned [48]

Systems in development

As of 6 October 2025

  Under construction
  Planned

List of under-development tourist ropeways in India
SystemLocaleTypeLengthYear proposedConstruction beganPlanned openingNotes
Shillong peak ropeway Shillong, MeghalayaMonocable gondola lift2,100 m (6,900 ft)20222024TBDGlass windows. [49]
Nandi hills ropeway Chikkaballapur, KarnatakaMonocable gondola lift2,930 m (9,610 ft)202320262028Glass windows. [50]
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep ropeway Ross Is., Andaman and NicobarTBD375 m (1,230 ft)2023TBDTBD [51]
Dhosi Hill ropewayDhosi hill, HaryanaBi-cabled gondola lift880 m (2,890 ft)20242025TBD [52]
Panaji ropeway Panaji, GoaTBD500 m (1,600 ft)2025TBDTBD [53]
Golconda fort ropeway Golconda, TelanganaTBD1,500 m (4,900 ft)2025TBDTBD [54]

Abandoned systems

As of 6 October 2025

  Closed

List of abandoned tourist ropeways in India
SystemLocaleTypeLengthOpenedClosedNotes
Tawang Monastery ropeway Tawang, Arunachal PradeshBi-cabled gondola lift1,184 m (3,885 ft)20102024Permanently closed. [55]
Trikut Hill ropeway Deoghar, JharkhandMonocable gondola lift766 m (2,513 ft)20092022Permanently closed after fatal accident. [56]

Urban ropeways

Operational

As of 6 October 2025
List of operational urban ropeways in India
SystemLocaleTypeLinesStationsLengthOpenedNotes
Guwahati ropeway Umananda Island, AssamAerial tramway131.82 km (1.13 mi)24 August 2020Glass windows; Swiss manufactured cabins. [57]

Systems in development

As of 6 October 2025

  Under construction
  Planned

List of under-development urban ropeways in India
SystemLocaleTypeLengthYear proposedConstruction beganPlanned openingNotes
kashi ropeway Varanasi, Uttar PradeshMonocable gondola lift3.75 km (2.33 mi)202220232025India's first urban gondola lift. [58]
Aarey Metro Station-Film City ropeway Mumbai, MaharashtraTBD3 km (1.9 mi)2025TBDTBDPossible extension to Sanjay Gandhi National Park. [59]
Lengpui-Sairang-Aizawl ropeway Aizawl, MizoramTBD16.62 km (10.33 mi)2025TBDTBD [60]

Material ropeways

Coal Handling Ropeway near Pamulapalli in Telengana. Coal Handling Ropeway near Pamulapalli.jpg
Coal Handling Ropeway near Pamulapalli in Telengana.

Operational

As of 6 October 2025
List of operational material ropeways in India
SystemLocaleTypeMaterial handledLengthOpenedNotes
Pamulapalli coal ropeway Manuguru, TelanganaBi-cabled gondola Coal 11.8 km (7.3 mi)1971India's first material ropeway. Designed and built by German company. [61]

List of glass bridges

This is a list of glass bridges in India, by state.

See also

References

notes
  1. in two sections of 2,500 m each
  2. in two sections 2.4 km and 2.2 km
references
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