The proposals for ropeway routes came mainly from the Indian cities of Mumbai, Satara, Raigad, Nashik, Nanded, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Pune.

They are being evaluated under the National Ropeway Development Program “Centre – Parvatmala”. The central government will bear the cost of executing the approved projects.

The government will also provide the land for the ropeways, said a senior official of the state Public Works Department (PWD). According to the statement, PWD officials were already compiling the list of proposed ropeways and enjoyed a good response in Maharashtra.

Different laws complicate approvals

Ropeways are no longer considered just a means of promoting tourism in Indian cities. They are now a means of urban transportation to improve connectivity. The list of ropeway proposals in Maharashtra is one of the longest, according to the central government.

However, many states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Bihar have their own ropeway laws with different regulations, making it difficult for entrepreneurs to operate ropeways.

A high-level committee of the center is to make recommendations to ease the approval process for ropeway projects.