India's biggest ropeway coming in Mumbai

India's biggest ropeway is coming in Mumbai - aimed at connecting Sewri Fort to the Elephanta Island, which is famous for the Elephanta caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) is working on the project and a pre-bid conference was held in Mumbai last week in which several firms and consortium attended. 

While the Mumbai end would start from Sewri it would end at Elephanta Island across the harbour in the Raigad district, a distance of nearly eight kms. While Sewri Fort is on the eastern seafront of Mumbai - the Elephanta Island (also known as the Gharapuri Island) is across the harbour in the Raigad district. The small island is dotted with numerous ancient archaeological remains that are the sole testimonies to its rich cultural past. These archaeological remains reveal evidence of occupation from as early as the 2nd century BC. The rock-cut Elephanta Caves were constructed about the mid-5th to 6th centuries AD. It is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the tourist footfall is very



high. 

 The proposed ropeway will either start from the Sewri area in Mumbai from Haji Bunder or from Kerosene Wharf covering a distance of approx. 8kms. It will give enormous view of mudflats, mangroves and flamingos in the season. The proposed Mumbai Trans Harbour Link would be north of both the location. The people riding on the cable car can enjoy the beauty of the entire area. The travel will take approx. 40 minutes of time from Sewri to Elephanta Island by 20 seated cable car. The project envisages ropeway connection between Sewri and Elephanta Island having two stations at either end and a transit station in the midway at approximate distance of 4km from Sewree Station. 

The transit station will be having a tower of around 200m height, more than height of ropeway for facilitating as City Tower, which itself will comprises of viewing gallery from the top, deck entertainment area with hanging restaurants with glass base below the deck, submerged restaurant, entertainment zone and other facilities.