Rangeet Ropeway

Darjeeling, Oct. 2: The Rangeet Valley Ropeway service is slated to be reopened at the end of October after two years of suspension due to a major mishap.

The repair work along the Singmari-via-Tukvar route is heading completion and the Conveyor and Ropeway Services have installed an electronic safety system replacing the older manual one.
Previously, it was a major tourist attraction and a source of livelihood for the people of the area, and the closure had affected their livers adversely.

The workers, who were planning to start an agitation, have withdrawn following the assurance by the Conveyor and Ropeway Services to inspect the ropeway with the help of an expert team next week. After the issuance of the clearance certificate, services would be resumed. The Hill Employees’ Association, too, had written to the chief minister on September 16, demanding the reopening of the ropeway as soon as possible.

On October 19, 2003, three cabins of the ropeway had jumped the cable and plunged down 50 feet below killing four tourists. It made one big dent on the tourism industry of North Bengal.

But this time the authorities have ensured that nothing is left to chance. All the safety devices have been replaced and an electronic system is fully in place. They have ensured that devices like limit switches, rope-catches and guards would be electrically operated and any defect will automatically halt the entire service, therefore, eliminating the possibility of human error.

Latest Travel News