The Travancore Devaswom Board has re-negotiated the rate, and terms and conditions, for the ropeway project at Sabarimala. The rate for transporting goods on proposed ropeway has been reduced to half of what was approved by the High Power Committee (HPC) entrusted with the implementation of Sabarimala master plan. The ropeway will be built on a (BOT) basis.
The ropeway, linking Pampa with Sannidhanam, will be exclusively for transportation of goods, replacing the tractor service on the trekking path.
After negotiations with a Kolkata-based company, the HPC had approved the conditions for the Rs.25-crore ropeway project last year. The company quoted Rs.3,000 a tonne for transportation of TDB materials and Rs.3,500 a tonne for other materials. TDB member Subhash Vasu said the board felt that the rate and the BOT period of 30 years approved by the HPC were not justifiable. After talks, the company agreed to reduce the rate to Rs.1,900 a tonne and the BOT period to 15 years. The matter was placed before the Kerala High Court, which approved it, he said. The new deal saved the board around Rs. 300 crore.
