‘Environment impact report under govt lens’

Thiruvananthapuram: The environment impact report of the Sabarimala ropeway project is under the consideration of the forest department, said devaswom minister K Radhakrishnan in the assembly.
As per the concessionaire agreement between M/s Damodar Ropeways and Infra Ltd and M/s Eighteenth Step Projects Pvt Ltd, an SPV M/s Eighteenth Step Damodar Cable Car Pvt Ltd has been formed and will be responsible for the development of the proposed ropeway project, said the minister. The agreement is to operate the project on a revenue-share basis and operate it for 15 years along with the construction of the ropeway.
Detachable grip monocable ropeway system is proposed to be installed at Sabarimala. The project is a 2,706.42m long ropeway, covering 48,094.64 sq m (including two terminal stations, towers, ropeway corridor, open and covered storage area, godown, machine room, dormitory and kitchen areas). There will be a continuous ropeway line from lower terminal point (from hill top near KSEB substation) to upper terminal point (at Sannidhanam, behind the police barrack).
Due to change in plans, the following amendments have been brought for the project. Forest area has been increased from 3.84ha to 4.94ha, total land area has been increased from 38,389.04sq m to 49,000sq m, dormitory units along with kitchen has been proposed for visitors (for emergency purposes), ambulance car have been introduced for the project and the project has been planned to be plastic-free zone for conservation of forest area and Pamba river alongside Sabarimala temple.