PANAJI: The Goa Cabinet which met on Friday granted its approval to the proposal for the Rs 160 crore Reis Magos to Campal ropeway project
The Cabinet approved the agreement between the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) and the Comunidade of Nerul for 8,000 square metres of land located around 400 metres from the Reis Magos Fort which will function as the cable car station on the Reis Magos side. Besides, the government also approved an agreement with Menus Adventures Pvt Ltd Kashmir the successful bidder in the ropeway project.
Around a year back the Cabinet had approved a land swap deal between the GTDC and the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs allowing the GTDC the use of 5200 square metres of land on the Campal side.
Explaining the nature of the Project Managing Director of the GTDC Nikhil Desai said the ropeway would be a detachable gondola system with an installed capacity of 800 passengers per hour.
The concessionaire -- Menus Adventures in collaboration with the Doppelmayr Garaventa Group an Austrian Swiss Company -- will have to design, engineer, finance, install, test, commission and maintain the passenger ropeway facility for a period of 30 years extendable up to a further period of 30 years.
Upon expiry of the concession period, the concessionaire will have to transfer the assets to the GTDC in workable condition.
“The State government will not have to invest any money in this, and in turn the private partners have promised, besides an initial payment of 1.60 crore, 5 per cent of the turnover during the concession period,” Desai said.
He said the project has the potential for direct employment of 200 people besides 700 others indirectly.
The project will help take tourists between Panaji and the Reis Magos fort and during non-peak hours, it can be used by locals to travel between Panaji and Reis Magos thereby reducing the congestion between Bardez and Pernem.
“At night, the system can be used for specialised dinners,” Desai said. The cable car gondola is expected to be operational in 18 to 24 months from the date of the work order being issued.
