Jammu and Kashmir seeks NIA nod to resume Pahalgam cable car project halted after April terror attack

Tourism Department has approached the National Investigation Agency for security clearance to allow consultant to start groundwork on the project

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has sought clearance from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to restart work on the proposed cable car project at Baisaran in Pahalgam — the scenic meadow that witnessed a deadly terror attack on April 22, which left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.

Responding to a question in the Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Tourism portfolio, said the project had already been allotted to a private company but could not take off due to security concerns following the Pahalgam attack. “Work was awarded, but in view of the post-Pahalgam scenario, the project remains on hold,” he said.

The Rs 100-crore to Rs 120-crore project, conceived by the Jammu and Kashmir Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC), envisages a 1.4-kilometre-long ropeway linking Yatri Niwas in Pahalgam to the Baisaran meadow — a major tourist attraction often referred to as ‘Mini Switzerland’. The required 9.13 hectares of land belongs to the Forest Department, the Chief Minister informed.

After tenders were floated for consultancy and preparation of the detailed project report (DPR), the work was awarded to Ronmas India Pvt Ltd through a competitive bidding process. An agreement was subsequently signed between the JKCCC and the firm. However, the company has been unable to begin field operations because of restrictions in the area since the terror strike.

The firm has requested permission to carry out topographical and geotechnical surveys at the site, but local authorities have directed that the matter be referred to the NIA, which is investigating the April 22 attack. “The issue has been taken up with the Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, who has advised that NIA’s nod is essential before work can proceed,” the Chief Minister said.

The Tourism Department has now formally approached the NIA for security clearance to allow the consultant to start groundwork. Once approval is received, officials said, the project is expected to be completed within 18 months.

If approved, the Baisaran cable car will be the third such project in Jammu and Kashmir, after the Gulmarg and Patnitop ropeways, and is expected to significantly boost tourism in the region once operational.

The April 22 terror attack at Baisaran had stunned the Valley and the tourism industry, which was witnessing record footfall after years of relative peace.