Two firms seek permit to operate cable car in Kathmandu, Pokhara Two firms seek permit to operate cable car in Kathmandu, Pokhara

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, Aug 3: Two companies have sought permission from the government to develop and operate cable car services in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Both the companies have claimed that they would complete the project before the completion of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 campaign.

The infrastructure steering committee at the National Planning Commission (NPC) is at the final stage of approving the proposal to develop and operate cable car service from Fewa Lake to Pumdi Bhumdi of Pokhara.

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works had recently forwarded the proposal of Chitwan Co (E) -- the operator of the country´s sole cable car company Manakamana Cable Car - to the committee for approval.

A highly placed source at MPPW told myrepublica.com that the company has sought permission to develop and operate cable car service under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.

“The steering committee led by NPC Vice Chairman will endorse the proposal soon, before it is forwarded to the cabinet for final approval,” the source added.

MoPPW had given its nod to forward the proposal to operate cable car service between Fewa Lake and World Peace Stupa at Pumdi Bhumdi about a couple of months ago.

Some members of the committee, however, had objected the proposal forwarded by MoPPW, stating that the permission was granted without following bidding process.

“We can now grant permission to the company to develop cable car service under PPP model, keeping in view the experience of the company and the upcoming Nepal Tourism Year 2011 campaign,” a member of the committee told myrepublica.com.

The cost of 1.5 km long Fewa-Pumdi Bhumdi cable car service has been estimated at Rs 1.2 billion. The company has already prepared detailed design of the project which it aims to complete within a year.

The company has proposed to give certain percent of its shares to the government against the land provided by Pokhara Town Development Committee for setting up base station near Fewa Lake.

Likewise, a consortium of local people has also registered a proposal at MoPPW to develop and operate another cable car service from Tribhuvan Park to Champa Devi of Kathmandu.

The consortium, too, has claimed to complete the 3 km long cable car project within a year. The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has already given permission to the project.

The consortium has already arranged about 50 ropanis of land for the project.

Published on 2010-08-03 02:00:01