Aerial lifts in India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
While historically restricted to hill stations and pilgrimage sites, under the 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 the 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 announcement 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.
- Gondola lift: It consists of a continuously circulating cable, strung between two or more stations over intermediate supporting towers. Mono-cable Detachable Gondola (MDG) is used for short routes and tourism, Bi-cable and Tri-cable systems span longer, provide additional support and safety during strong winds. Gondola lift is also the most widely used aerial lift system in India, including urban regions. Example: Kashi ropeway.
- Aerial tramway: It uses one or two stationary cables for support, with a third moving cable for propulsion. The grip is fixed onto the propulsion cable and thus cannot be decoupled during operation. They provide lower capacities and frequencies compared to Gondola lifts. Example: Guwahati ropeway.
- Chairlift: They are continuously circulating systems carrying chairs, usually designed for skiers to board without removing skiing equipment. Detachable chairlifts usually move faster than fixed-grip chairlifts that enable safe boarding and deboarding. Chairlifts in India are also built in non ski areas. Example: Rajgir ropeway
- Material ropeway: Material ropeways or Goods ropeways is built for carrying goods rather than passengers. They are usually monocable or bi-cable gondola lifts with containers. Example: Pamulapalli coal ropeway.
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
| System | Locale | Type | Length | Opened | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambaji ropeway | Gabbar Hill, Gujarat | Monocabled gondola | 363 m (1,191 ft) | 1998 | Opened windows.[11] |
| Auli ropeway | Joshimath, Uttarakhand | Aerial tramway | 4,150 m (13,620 ft) | 1993 | Glass windows.[12] |
| Bambleshwari Temple ropeway | Dongargarh, Chhattisgarh | Bi-cabled gondola lift | 387 m (1,270 ft) | 2021 | Glass windows.[13] |
| Bhaleydhunga ropeway | Namchi district, Sikkim | Monocable gondola lift | 3,500 m (11,500 ft) | 2024 | Glass windows.[14] |
| Bhatta falls ropeway | Mussoorie, Uttarakhand | Monocable gondola lift | 308 m (1,010 ft) | 2019 | [15] |
| Bheraghat ropeway | Bhedaghat, Madhya Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 600 m (2,000 ft) | 2025 | Glass windows.[16] |
| Bhopal ropeway | Mahaveer Giri, Madhya Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 600 m (2,000 ft) | Unknown | Glass windows.[17] |
| Chandi devi ropeway | Haridwar, Uttarakhand | Monocable gondola lift | 740 m (2,430 ft) | 1997 | Glass windows.[18] |
| Chitrakoot ropeway | Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 302 m (991 ft) | Unknown | Opened windows.[19] |
| Darjeeling Ropeway | Darjeeling, West Bengal | Monocable gondola lift | 5,000 m (16,000 ft)[a] | 1968 | Glass windows. India's first ropeway.[4] |
| Dewas ropeway | Dewas, Madhya Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 367 m (1,204 ft) | 2017 | Glass windows.[20] |
| Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple ropeway | Palani, Tamil Nadu | Monocable gondola lift | 323 m (1,060 ft) | 2004 | Open windows.[21] |
| Digha ropeway | Digha, West Bengal | Monocable gondola lift | 194 m (636 ft) | 2015 | Glass windows.[22] |
| Gangtok ropeway | Gangtok, Sikkim | Monocable gondola lift | 1,600 m (5,200 ft) | 2003 | Glass windows. Plans to convert into urban ropeway.[23][24] |
| Girnar ropeway | Mount Girnar, Gujarat | Monocable gondola lift | 2,300 m (7,500 ft) | 2020 | Glass windows.[25] |
| Gulmarg Gondola | Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir | Monocable gondola lift | 4,631 m (15,194 ft)[b] | 1998 | Ski resort gondola lift; Glass windows.[26] |
| Gun Hill ropeway | Mussoorie, Uttarakhand | Aerial tramway | 400 m (1,300 ft) | 1971 | Glass windows. India's first aerial tramway.[27] |
| Hirakud Dam ropeway | Hirakud, Odisha | Monocable gondola lift | 412 m (1,352 ft) | Unknown | Glass windows.[28] |
| Jammu ropeway | Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir | Monocable gondola lift | 1,660 m (5,450 ft) | 2020 | Glass windows.[29] |
| Jakhu Temple ropeway | Shimla, Himachal Pradesh | Aerial tramway | 600 m (2,000 ft) | 2017 | Glass windows.[30] |
| Kailasagiri ropeway | Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 375 m (1,230 ft) | 2004 | Glass windows.[31] |
| Kolkata Science City ropeway | Kolkata, West Bengal | Monocable gondola lift | 400 m (1,300 ft) | 1998 | Opened windows.[32] |
| Laxman Pahadi ropeway | Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 256 m (840 ft) | 2019 | Glass windows.[33] |
| Maa Sharda ropeway | Maihar, Madhya Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 760 m (2,490 ft) | Unknown | Glass windows.[34] |
| Madan Negi ropeway | Sandana, Uttarakhand | Aerial trmaway | 995 m (3,264 ft) | Unknown | Caged windows.[35] |
| Marjing Polo Complex ropeway | Imphal, Manipur | Monocable gondola lift | 600 m (2,000 ft) | 2025 | Glass windows.[36] |
| Nainital ropeway | Nainital, Uttarakhand | Aerial tramway | 705 m (2,313 ft) | 1990 | Glass windows.[37] |
| Nandankanan ropeway | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | Monocable gondola lift | 618 m (2,028 ft) | 2023 | Partial glass windows.[38] |
| Parwanoo ropeway | Parwanoo Timber Trail, Himachal Pradesh | Aerial tramway | 1,800 m (5,900 ft) | 1988 | Partially opened glass windows.[39] |
| Pavagadh ropeway | Pavagadh Hill, Gujarat | Monocable gondola lift | 774 m (2,539 ft) | 1986 | Glass windows.[40] |
| Pushkar Savitri Mata Temple ropeway | Pushkar, Rajasthan | Monocable gondola lift | 720 m (2,360 ft) | 2015 | Partially opened glass windows.[41] |
| Rajgir ropeway | Rajgir, Bihar | Chairlift | 333 m (1,093 ft) | 1969 | Single seater. India's first chairlift ropeway.[5] |
| Saputara ropeway | Saputara, Gujarat | Monocable gondola lift | 920 m (3,020 ft) | 1991 | Partially opened glass windows.[42] |
| Shri Naina Devi ropeway | Sri Naina Devi, Himachal Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 500 m (1,600 ft) | 1997 | Caged windows.[43] |
| Srisailam ropeway | Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 700 m (2,300 ft) | 2005 | Opened windows.[44] |
| Sundha Mata Temple ropeway | Jalore district, Rajasthan | Monocable gondola lift | 800 km (500 mi) | 2006 | Glass windows.[45] |
| Surkanda Devi ropeway | Saklana range, Uttarakhand | Monocable gondola lift | 502 m (1,647 ft) | 2022 | Glass windows.[46] |
| Tara Tarini Mandir ropeway | Purushottampur, Odisha | Monocable gondola lift | 333 m (1,093 ft) | 2013 | Glass windows.[47] |
| Vaishno Devi Temple ropeway | Katra, Jammu and Kashmir | Aerial tramway | 375 m (1,230 ft) | 2018 | Glass windows; Air conditioned[48] |
Systems in development
- As of 6 October 2025
Under construction
Planned
| System | Locale | Type | Length | Year proposed | Construction began | Planned opening | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shillong peak ropeway | Shillong, Meghalaya | Monocable gondola lift | 2,100 m (6,900 ft) | 2022 | 2024 | TBD | Glass windows.[49] |
| Nandi hills ropeway | Chikkaballapur, Karnataka | Monocable gondola lift | 2,930 m (9,610 ft) | 2023 | 2026 | 2028 | Glass windows.[50] |
| Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep ropeway | Ross Is., Andaman and Nicobar | TBD | 375 m (1,230 ft) | 2023 | TBD | TBD | [51] |
| Dhosi Hill ropeway | Dhosi hill, Haryana | Bi-cabled gondola lift | 880 m (2,890 ft) | 2024 | 2025 | TBD | Construction tender awarded (Feb 2025)[52][53] |
| Panaji ropeway | Panaji, Goa | TBD | 500 m (1,600 ft) | 2025 | TBD | TBD | [54] |
| Golconda fort ropeway | Golconda, Telangana | TBD | 1,500 m (4,900 ft) | 2025 | TBD | TBD | [55] |
| Tiruvannamalai ropeway | Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid for DPR invited in Nov 2025.[56] | |
| Glenmorgan-Singara Power House ropeway | Ooty, Tamil Nadu | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid for DPR invited in Nov 2025.[56] | |
| Kurangani Top Station ropeway | Theni district, Tamil Nadu | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid for DPR invited in Nov 2025.[56] | |
| Thoranamalai Murugan Temple | Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid for DPR invited in Nov 2025.[56] | |
| Sathuragiri Hills ropeway-1 | Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid for DPR invited in Nov 2025.[56] | |
| Sathuragiri Hills ropeway-2 | Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid for DPR invited in Nov 2025.[56] | |
| Bijli Mahadev ropeway | Kullu, Himachal Pradesh | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Construction tender awarded (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Mahakaleshwar Temple ropeway | Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Construction tender awarded (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Sangam ropeway | Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Construction tender awarded (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Shankaracharya Temple ropeway | Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Construction tender awarded (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway | Kedarnath, Uttarakhand | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid invited (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Govindghat Hemkund Sahib ropeway | Hemkund Sahib, Uttarakhand | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid invited (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Kamakhya Temple ropeway | Assam | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid invited (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Tawang Monastery-PT Tso Lake ropeway | Tawang Monastery, Arunachal Pradesh | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid invited (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Kathgodam-Hanuman Garhi Temple ropeway | Nainital, Uttarakhand | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid invited (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Ramtek Gad Temple ropeway | Ramtek, Maharashtra | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid invited (Feb 2025)[52] | |
| Brahmagiri-Anjaneri ropeway | Anjaneri, Maharashtra | TBD | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Bid invited (Feb 2025)[52] |
Abandoned systems
- As of 6 October 2025
Closed
| System | Locale | Type | Length | Opened | Closed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tawang Monastery ropeway | Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh | Bi-cabled gondola lift | 1,184 m (3,885 ft) | 2010 | 2024 | Permanently closed.[57] |
| Trikut Hill ropeway | Deoghar, Jharkhand | Monocable gondola lift | 766 m (2,513 ft) | 2009 | 2022 | Permanently closed after fatal accident.[58] |
Urban ropeways
Operational
- As of 6 October 2025
| System | Locale | Type | Lines | Stations | Length | Opened | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guwahati Ropeway | Umananda Island, Assam | Aerial tramway | 1 | 3 | 1.82 km (1.13 mi) | 24 August 2020 | Glass windows; Swiss manufactured cabins.[59] |
Systems in development
- As of 6 October 2025
Under construction
Planned
| System | Locale | Type | Length | Year proposed | Construction began | Planned opening | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kashi ropeway | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Monocable gondola lift | 3.75 km (2.33 mi) | 2022 | 2023 | 2026 | India's first urban gondola lift.[60] |
| Aarey Metro Station-Film City ropeway | Mumbai, Maharashtra | TBD | 3 km (1.9 mi) | 2025 | TBD | TBD | Possible extension to Sanjay Gandhi National Park.[61] |
| Lengpui-Sairang-Aizawl ropeway | Aizawl, Mizoram | TBD | 16.62 km (10.33 mi) | 2025 | TBD | TBD | [62] |
Material ropeways
Operational
- As of 6 October 2025
List of glass bridges
This is a list of glass bridges in India, by state.
- Andhra Pradesh
- Vishakhapatnam Kailasagiri Skybridge, operational, 55 meter glassbridge on hilltop overlooking the city and east coast.[64]
- Bihar
- Rajgir Glass Bridge at Rajgir, operational.[65]
- Haryana
- Adi Badri Glass Bridge Sky Walk, planned.
- Dhosi Hill Glass Bridge Skywalk, planned.
- Madhogarh Glass Bridge Skywalk, planned.
- Tosham Glass Bridge Sky Walk, planned.
- Kerala
- Mini Ooty Glass Bridge at Mini Ootty in Malappuram District: 60 meter glass bridge skywalk, longest such bridge in India as of June 2024. Longest Glass bridge in India
- Vagamon Glass Bridge at Vagamon in Idukki District: 40 m cantilever glass bridge skywalk, second longest such bridge in India as of June 2024.[66]
- Waynad Glass Bridge at 900 Kandi:[65]
- Maharashtra
- Lonavala Tiger Point Skywalk, a 125 meter long, 6 meter wide, horseshoe-shaped glass-bridge skywalk at Tiger Point in Lonavala, will commence construction in 2025 with target completion by June 2027.[67]
- Sikkim
- Tamil Nadu
See also
- Targeted projects
- Bharatmala, India's project to connect all district headquarters with highways
- Golden Quadrilateral, India's project to connect major cities of India forming a quadrilateral
- Setu Bharatam, India's project to make all national highways railway crossings free
- Sagar Mala, India's project to modernise and connect all shipping ports
- UDAN, India's project for regional civil aviation connectivity
- Transport in India
- General
