Guwahati: The Assam government, in collaboration with the Centre, has approved the ambitious Rs 213.24 crore Kamakhya Ropeway Project, linking Kamakhya Railway Station directly to the sacred Maa Kamakhya Temple atop the Nilachal Hills. Announcing the initiative on Friday, Union minister Nitin Gadkari hailed it as a blend of modern infrastructure and spiritual heritage under the “Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi” vision.
The eco-friendly ropeway spanning 1.43 kms will reduce pilgrimage travel time from 20 minutes by road to just six minutes via 18 state-of-the-art gondolas designed to ferry over 16,500 passengers daily. This will address chronic congestion on the steep, narrow hill roads during peak seasons like the Ambubachi Mela, which attracts millions of pilgrims annually. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Samra, while praising the project, said it would boost pilgrim safety, green mobility, and local tourism economies through job creation.
The design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) model invites private tenders for construction, operation, and maintenance, with tenders already floated by the National Highways Logistics Management Ltd (NHLML). Expected to be completed by mid-2026, it will complement a second planned ropeway from Sonaram Field, expanding access amid rising visitor numbers which was over 7 million in 2025. The proposed ropeway will result in reduced vehicular emissions and preserve green cover on the ecologically sensitive hills located near the mighty Bharmaputra.
Pilgrims and locals welcomed the news. Kamakhya temple priest Jyotishman Dev Goswami has said the ropeway make darshan easier for elderly and disabled devotees. Critics, however, urge safeguards against commercialization diluting the site’s sanctity.
The ropeway, while enhancing connectivity to one of India’s Shakti Peethas, is projected to contribute 10% to state GDP by 2030 from a surge in tourism.
