KATHMANDU, Sept 25: The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) has decided to forward a proposal to carry out Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Godavari- Fulchowki cable car to the cabinet.
Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, secretary at the MoPIT, said they would soon forward the draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which it is signing with Siddheswar Paryatan Sahakari (SPS) to prepare DPR, to the cabinet for approval.
The proposed cable car service, which connects the Godavari Park with Fulchowki hilltop in the south of the Kathmandu valley, will be developed as per the Build Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model. [break]
A technical committee of National Planning Commission (NPC) has already recognized the project which was identified by Siddheshwar Paryatan Sahakari.
Siddheshwar had applied for approval to prepare DPR after it completed preliminary study of the cable car service. The study had showed two alignments, spanning 2.4 km and 2.9 km, feasible.
The MoPIT has proposed to the government to allow Siddheshwar to prepare DPR by mobilizing its own resources. After the DPR of the project is ready, the MoPIT can either negotiate with the applicant or invite Letter of Interest (LoI) for open competition.
In case the project is not awarded to Siddheshwar, new developer will have to bear the cost of DPR preparation. According to the preliminary study, the estimated cost of the project is Rs 250 million. Ravi Raj Acharya, secretary of Siddheshwar Paryatan Sahakari, said the MoPIT had been dilly-dallying on their proposal to prepare DPR of the project. He also said Siddheshwar aims to boost socio-economic status of people living in the area by drawing domestic and foreign investment.
“We want to develop infrastructures under BOOT model. Only one cable car project, which aims to connect Bashundhara Park to World Peace Stupa in Pokhara, has proposed to develop infrastructures under BOOT model,” Acharya said. “However, the project has fallen into legal controversy and the case is sub-judice at the Supreme Court.”
MoPIT officials maintained that the Private Financing in Build and Operation of Infrastructures, 2006 is not clear on whether or not the government can award the projects, identified by the applicants themselves, under BOOT model. Officials say the decision on Siddheswhar will set precedence for similar projects to be developed under BOOT model.
Meanwhile, Annapurna Cable Car Company has applied at MoPIT to develop cable car service that connects Sedibagar to Sarangkot in Kaski.