Paving the way for all-weather connectivity to Himachal Pradesh’s Bijli Mahadev temple, union minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for a public ropeway on Tuesday.
The ropeway, which is to be developed at a cost of more than Rs 270 crore, will ease the journey to the temple located 2,460 metres above sea level. At present, trekking is the only way to reach the temple that makes it difficult to access for many. The ropeway is expected to be ready by July 2026.
What is the project?
The new 2.5-km ropeway will reduce time taken to reach the temple to just seven minutes from the one or two hours it takes to trek up the slope. A ministry official told News18 that this was a long pending demand.
“A number of pilgrims would find it difficult to reach the temple as trekking is not for everyone. With this ropeway, even the elderly will be able to reach the temple in just a couple of minutes,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
According to the project details, which were accessed by News18, the ropeway will have a monocable detachable gondola. There will be 18 towers and two stations as part of the project. It will start at nature park in Mohal and end at the temple. On the way, it will offer a panoramic view of the Kullu valley.
With the help of the ropeway, more than 36,000 people will be able to visit the temple daily. The ropeway is being developed under the hybrid annuity model.
Last week, News18 had reported about eight ropeway projects across India that are expected to be ready by 2026 and will enhance connectivity to several places, including temples. The ropeway connectivity to Bijli Mahadev was one among these.
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All about the temple
The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation said the place got its name after lightning – “ the great miracle that occurs occasionally”.
“The shivalingam is struck by lightning and breaks into pieces, then the priest of the temple collects all the pieces and joins them together with the help of butter as an adhesive. During Shivaratri every year, a great rush of devotees gather here to pray to Lord Shiva,” said the corporation.
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