Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 19: An Indian and a Turkish firm are jointly going to start construction on the much delayed Mubarak Mandi- Bagh-e-Bahu Cable Car Project worth Rs 40 crore from next month while work on yet another Cable Car Project at Shiv Khori shrine in district Reasi is going to commence shortly to facilitate the pilgrims.
While the base of the Cable Car (Gandola) in Jammu, will be near Peer Kho on Circular Road, instead of Mubarak Mandi complex as projected earlier, the termination point of the ‘Gandola’ on the other end will be closer to Bagh-e-Bahu. A Calcutta based firm, Damodar Rope Way Constructions Ltd and a Turkish Firm, STM Pvt Ltd have been allotted the work which will be completed in two years.
Managing Director of J&K Cable Car Project Corporation, Talat Parvez told the Excelsior that prestigious Cable Car Project contract has been allotted to the consortium of Indo-Turkish companies having expertise in the field. The civil works including basement and prefabricated structures etc. is going to start from March this year. Several workers including engineers have reached the winter capital here. They had rounds of the sites on both sides of river Tawi including Mubarak Mandi, Peer Kho, Circular Road, Mahamaya Temple and Bagh-e-Bahu recently.
Replying to a question regarding allegations of changing of alignment/ base of ‘Gandola’, from Mubarak Mandi complex to a site near Peer Kho temple, Mr Parvez said, “There is no change in the alignment of Cable Car.
As per the guidelines of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI), no construction can be raised within 100 metes of the Mubarak Mandi Heritage site and same is the case at Bahu Fort Heritage site. So, under these circumstances, a place much closer to Mubarak Mandi (Gole Ghar) and adjoining ‘Peer Khoo’ cave has been identified. From there, a direct on- foot passage (Pagdandi) will connect Mubarak Mandi Heritage site with the Cable Car base, near Circular Road on Tawi side for the visitors,’’ he added.
The MD further disclosed that total length of the Rope-way will be around 1.75 kms. The Rope Way trolley will move from Mubarak Mandi/ Peer Kho site to Mahamaya Temple and then in second phase it will move from Mahamaya Temple and shall terminate at a site about 100 mt away from Bagh-e-Bahu (Bahu Fort) at Shahbad. The State Government has given two years dead line to the consortium for completion of project.
Since the J&K Cable Car Project had to acquire nearly 3 hectare of land from Bahu Game Reserves, it took some time for seeking clearance from the National Wild Life Board. Now, the Board has also given clearance and several other obstacles have also been removed. About 15 kanals of private land was also acquired at Shahbad. A compensation to Forest Department to the tune of Rs 50 lakh has been given. The payment to the private parties also stand cleared. In first year, the consortium will complete civil works and procure equipment/ cars etc. In second year, they will start assembling the imported/ procured parts and make trials on both the phases of the project.
Replying to yet another question, Mr Talat said survey on Shiv Khori rope way project has also been conducted and the preliminary design work has been started by the J&K Cable Car Project Corporation. It will be completed within next one month. There after national tenders will be invited from various companies for final consultancy and DPRs. The funds will be provided by Corporation and Tourism Department for 1.25 km long ropeway trolley project from Ransoh-Kotla-Shiv Khori. Lakhs of pilgrims visiting this shrine will be helped by this facility, he added.
Director Tourism, R S Mehta when contacted said that there is no change in the alignment of Mubarak-Mandi Bagh-e-Bahu Cable Car Project. He said if the alignment would have changed, it could have taken couple of more years. This project has already been delayed and now work is going to be started shortly. Environment impact study was also conducted and all the hurdles have now been removed. As per the guidelines of the NWLB and ASI, the project has been prepared. This facility will attract many Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims and other tourists.
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