DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government is planning to introduce ropeway and Personal Rapid Transit (pod car system) in Dehradun and Haridwar respectively.

Both the facilities will act as feeder services for the Metro rail and help bring passengers from different localities to the Metro stations.

The Uttarakhand government is already working on its plan to have Metro rail service in the cities of Dehradun and Haridwar.

In the first phase, the government aims to set up Metro rail in Dehradun with an expense of Rs 4,000 crore and in the second phase, the project would be taken up at Haridwar.

An 11-member delegation including six MLAs, chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh and senior IAS officials had gone to England and Germany to study ropeways and Light Rail Transit (LRT), and Personal Rapid Transport (Pod) systems

Metro MD Jitendra Tyagi, who was a part of the delegation, told TOI, “We studied the podcar and ropeway system in these countries and found that they can help bring passengers to the Metro stations in Dehradun and Haridwar.”

He pointed out that while a kilometre-long strecht of Metro rail costs Rs 140 crore, the same distance for pod car and ropeway cost Rs 60 crore.

“When compared to Metro, the pod car and ropeways were more cost effective,” said Tyagi, adding that after the experiment, these projects may be taken to other cities and locations as well. Plans are afoot to connect Dehradun-Rishikesh-Haridwar through Metro rail project. The comprehensive mobility plan has been prepared and efforts are on to prepare the final plan.

On being asked about the proposed new initiatives, Tyagi said that they had different technologies when compared to metro system. “We are focusing on various factors like distance of locations - from where the podcars and ropeways are to operator to the metro stations, its feasibility and other aspects. We will soon come up with our proposal on these projects and after the nod from the state government prepare the comprehensive reports,” said the metro official.

