New Delhi [India], March 7 (ANI): Congress leader Harish Rawat claimed that ropeway projects to the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib shrines were approved under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government and had been 'pending before the Centre since 2015.'

Further, he also urged that the ropeways should only be constructed in limited areas, and some parts of the routes should remain as they are.

'These projects have been pending before the central government since 2015. We will see when these projects will be implemented. These projects were a part of the Himalayan package which was approved under Dr Manmohan Singh's government and was kept pending...' Rawat said speaking to ANI on Thursday.

The former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand also said the ropeway should be in limited area.

'We want the ropeway in a limited area. Some parts of the route should remain as they are because it is necessary for the protection of nature and livelihood,' he further said.

On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the construction of a 12.9 km ropeway project from Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km) in Uttarakhand, and the Hemkund Sahib ropeway project.

The projects will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode. The Sonprayag to Kedarnath project will cost Rs 4,081.28 crore while the Hemkund Sahib ropeway project will be made at a total capital cost of Rs 2,730.13 crore.

The journey to the Kedarnath temple is a challenging 16-km uphill trek from Gaurikund and is currently covered on foot or by ponies, palanquins and helicopter. The proposed Kedarnath ropeway project is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims visiting the temple and ensure all-weather connectivity between Sonprayag and Kedarnath.

Currently, the journey to the Hemkund Sahib Ji is a challenging 21-km uphill trek from Govindghat, which is covered on foot or by ponies or palanquins. The proposed ropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims visiting the Hemkund Sahib Ji and tourists visiting the Valley of Flowers and will ensure all-weather last-mile connectivity between Govindghat and Hemkund Sahib Ji.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a gathering held in Uttarakashi, said that the Kedarnath ropeway would reduce travel time from eight to nine hours to approximately 30 minutes and make the journey more accessible, especially for the elderly and children.

He also emphasized that thousands of crores of rupees would be invested in these projects. He congratulated Uttarakhand and the entire nation on the transformative initiatives. (ANI)