The historic city of Varanasi is building a new urban ropeway line to tackle congestion in the city. The plan is to connect the Cantonment Railway Station (Varanasi Junction) to Church Square (Godauliya) and costs roughly 700 Cr. The line will also be used to transport goods.
According to the specifications available on the website of Bartholet – the Swiss agency (together with Vishwa Samudra Engineering) that is executing it, the Varanasi cable car system will span a total length of 3660 meters and is designed to transport up to 3000 passengers per hour in each direction. The system will use modern panoramic cabins designed by Studio F. A. Porsche. Each of the nearly 150 cabins will accommodate ten passengers and travel at a speed of six meters per second.
This new line enables visitors and residents access to major destinations like Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Dashashwamedh Ghat.
The city has been planning a mass transit option for several years now. It initially opted for a metro system, but the plan was later rejected due to feasibility concerns. Light rail or Metrolite was touted as a replacement, but there are no clear details available online.
In India, apart from a few hill stations like Gulmarg and some other popular tourist destinations, ropeways are not utilized as an urban transportation system. It has gained popularity in recent years, particularly after cities like Medellín, Colombia, and La Paz-El Alto, Bolivia, showcased their effectiveness as a reliable and efficient mode of urban transportation within a city.
Medellín ropeway system has six lines and allows seamless transfers between trains, trams, and buses with a single ticket.
Several other countries are also paying close attention to this mode of transport. For example, Germany plans to integrate cable cars into its public transport system, with the first implementations expected in Munich and Berlin.
Given it’s a first-of-a-kind project in India, the engineers and decision makers are facing unique challenges, one of which was determining the optimal route over the city. Stephan Salzmann, who is overseeing the engineering part says, “Ropeways are treated like high-voltage lines. If they pass over property, compensation is provided. Thus, only building rights for the support locations are needed.”
The focus on urban ropeway started in 2022 when Indian government announced “Parvatmala: National Ropeways Development Programme” in its yearly budget, and while the emphasis was on hilly terrains, it also included support for congested urban areas, where conventional mass transit system is not feasible.
Traditional transportation systems demand significant capital and human effort to construct and operate, whereas ropeways have a relatively minimal footprint in comparison. This was highlighted in the budget document as well where it states that the use of a single operator for an entire ropeway is an added saving in terms of labour cost.
As a passenger, a major advantage of this system is its low headway-meaning minimal waiting time to board. With continuous, automated operation, cabins are readily available at all times.
What’s great about this particular line is its seamless connection to the railway station, allowing passengers to transition easily from trains to ropeway cabins. This eliminates the need for road travel, significantly easing congestion in a city already struggling with traffic and narrow streets. This is crucial because one of the major reasons why it has failed in few other cities worldwide is poor integration with other transport modes.
And the construction costs, compared to traditional systems like a metro, are significantly lower. With just ₹700 crores, you can have a fully automated system that operates efficiently with minimal staff requirements.
Varanasi Ropeway can also attract more tourists, thereby generating additional revenue for the city. And did I mention that it’s eco-friendly too with no need of batteries?
While this can bring ease in mobility, the system does suffer from few drawbacks which are further amplified in Varanasi.
The first challenge is the space required to build stations, which may necessitate the demolition of few buildings. Engineers and authorities are scrambling to keep the original line and specs in intact. Location for the final Kashi Vishwanath Dham station hasn’t been decided yet.
There is also a concern that the construction of the last station at Godowlia crossing will change the look of the iconic ‘Nandi Square’ of the city. This terminal station is expected to bring thousands of tourists to this junction, potentially adding to chaos and congestion.
While the line is expected to open sometime this year, delays are possible due to multiple challenges faced by the municipality and the execution teams.
Since gondolas operate high above neighborhoods, some residents near planned systems may have concerns about privacy, as passengers may be able to see into their homes. Currently, there is no information to confirm whether these cabins will feature automatic window blackening as they pass over residential areas.
Additionally, there are issues specific to ropeways, such as low tolerance to wind and bad weather, as well as high maintenance times, which could result in the system being out of service for at least a week.
However, this system is particularly well-suited for Varanasi, given its high population density and narrow roads, which make traditional modes of transport like buses challenging to operate efficiently. There are also other mobility-easing plans being undertaken by various governing authorities of the city.
Varanasi Development Authority for instance under its “Urban Place Making project” is given a pedestrian/cycling friendly makeover to certain stretches.
Considering its rich heritage, narrow spaces, and compact size, Varanasi requires a balanced transport system. Pedestrian-friendly roads and a ropeway can effectively serve the older parts of the city, while traditional modes like buses and light rail can manage the outer areas.
It will be interesting to see how it unfolds in the next year or two. If successful, other cities in India may consider this option and add it to their infrastructure plans.
