Bhubaneswar: The ropeway facility, which was discontinued for some time due to security reasons, was reopened to the visitors at the Nandankanan Zoo near Bhubaneswar on Friday.
Forest and Environment Minister Pradip Kumar Amat inaugurated the refurbished facility in the zoo. The ropeway, which will start from the zoo campus and culminate at the botanical garden covering a distance of 626 metre, has been constructed with mono-cable pulsated with two towers.
Each of the 12 cabins has the capacity to accommodate three to six persons. “At a time, 72 visitors can go in the ride and maximum 400 visitors can enjoy the facility in an hour. The ticket price for each rider has been fixed at Rs 120,” said Sarat Sahu, ACF, Nandankanan.
Stating that all necessary measures have been taken for safety of the visitors during the rope ride, he said, “The engineers have conducted a thorough inspection of the facility. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also given approval after performing mock drills twice.”
Mahesh Mohata, vice-chairman, Marketing, Damodar Ropeways & Infra Limited, the implementing agency of the ropeway project, also reiterated the security aspect of the facility. “We will check its operation every morning before starting the ropeway. Besides, there will be daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, and annual inspections,” he added.
The ropeway can run both on electricity and power generators. During normal hours, it will run on electricity. In case of disruption in power supply, it will run on generators.
“It will not only provide visitors with a thrilling ride over the jungle but also an immersive experience that showcases Odisha’s art and culture. The project’s use of local materials, art, and iconography will also popularise local arts and crafts,” Damodar Ropeways MD Aditya Chamaria had earlier said.
