BUTWAL, Jan 3: The Lumbini cable car, connecting Butwal and Palpa, has transported 150,000 passengers in seven months since its commercial operation began on May 29.

The 2.6 km cable car route spans from Golpark Bamghat in Butwal to Basantpur in Tinahu Rural Municipality of Palpa. During this period, 146,645 tourists reached Basantpur in Palpa by cable car.

From May 29 to December 30, a total of 140,501 domestic tourists, 6,118 visitors from SAARC countries (including India), and 35 tourists from other countries utilized the cable car service, according to DN Kayastha Sainju, the operation manager of the cable car. 

The highest number of tourists, 35,797, traveled in the month of Kartik (mid-October to mid-November) during this seven-month period, while a minimum of 9,650 people rode the cable car in Ashwin (mid-September to mid-October).

The cable car company, which has generated ticket sales worth Rs 83.615 million in seven months, has contributed Rs 786,708 to Butwal sub-metropolitan city and Tinahu Rural Municipality as local tax, at a rate of Rs 393,354 per municipality until September 12. The cable car ticket is priced at Rs 750 for a round trip.

The company offers a 50 percent discount for residents of Ward-3 of Butwal and Ward-3 of Tinahu Village. The citizens with disabilities and those with a height of 3 to 4 feet are also entitled to the same discount. 

Similarly, students receive a 40 percent discount, while senior citizens aged between 70 to 80 and children less than 3 feet ride at a reduced rate. Senior citizens above 80 years of age can ride the cable car for free.

The cable car, equipped with 25 gondola lifts, has a daily capacity of transporting 6,000 passengers. The company plans to enhance the tourist experience by developing additional infrastructure, such as a restaurant, zipline, selfie zone (already operational), sky cycling, electric ping, children's garden (under construction), and a five-star hotel with 150 rooms, a banquet hall for 1,000 people, and a casino within two years, at an estimated cost of Rs 3.5 billion.

The company currently employs around 100 people, with plans to hire an additional 500 when the five-star hotel becomes operational.

 
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