How The Skyview Ropeway Became India’s ‘Green Gondola

By taking a ride on Skyview Ropeway in Patnitop, Jammu, one cuts down road travel time by an hour and helps reduce vehicular pollution; the gondola also empowers the local communities to be gainfully employed thereby strengthening the economy

New Delhi: June 28, 2023 - Being a responsible and environmentally conscious traveller is on everyone’s mind these days. People are spending time to learn about destinations and curated experiences that are sustainable and respect, protect and conserve the environment.

In general, ropeways are considered a sustainable mode of transport as they use electric-powered mobility options in contrast to the cars, buses, trains and planes that all run on fossil fuels that add to the air pollution. The Skyview Gondola, located at Sanget Valley-Patnitop, Jammu, which is just an hour’s drive away from the famous Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple at Katra, has set a benchmark for environment-friendly mobility in India with this ‘green gondola’ built in 2019. Skyview by Empyrean is the first Responsible Tourism Society of India-certified sustainable tourism destination compliant with all the parameters of Sustainable & Responsible Tourism practiced by Responsible Tourism Society of India and set as a standard by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

Here are some key facts that show how Skyview by Empyrean is leading by example and paving the way for other ropeway projects in India and around the world:

· The Skyview ropeway is not only net zero, it reduces traffic, air, and noise pollution. Not a single tree was damaged or cut while putting in place the infrastructure for this gondola. On the contrary, more than 8,000 saplings of trees, along with shrubs and flowers, along the gondola pathways and open areas at both the terminals were planted during construction.

· The natural beauty and landscape of the region was left untouched while constructing the 2.8 km-long stretch over the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. Not a single tree was touched, to prevent the local flora and fauna from being disturbed in their natural habitat, the height of all the towers was raised. The fifth tower is one of Asia’s highest at 60 meters!

· It is the highest CEN-Certified Ropeway in Asia in terms of ground clearance. The ropeway covers a breathtaking scenic route of 2.8 km between Sanget and Patnitop in just 10 minutes!

· The entire gondola system offers unparalleled safety standards as it adheres to the CEN (European) standard certification boasting a five-factor safety design. Each gondola goes through over 200 safety checks before it hits the sky. This makes it the safest gondola in the world!

· Come rain, sun, snow or wind, the Skyview Gondola operates through it all and that too with the safety of the passengers on top priority. Even when the approach road to Patnitop is closed due to snow, one can enjoy a ride in the warmth and comfort of the 18 spacious avant-garde cabins and soak in the pristine beauty of snow-kissed landscapes.

· The infrastructure of the Skyview Gondola is state-of-the art and world class. All the towers, ropes, and cabins have been imported from France through the company’s technology partner, POMA, renowned as the world’s leading brand in gondola transportation. Each cabin is well ventilated, double-glazed, has automatic door mechanisms, and can carry 8 people each way comfortably.

· The construction of the ropeway gave employment to more than a hundred local families. The ropeway continues to sustain and support many people/families from the region.

The Indian ropeway industry has come a long way since the first ropeway was launched in Darjeeling in 1968. Today, more than 70 operational ropeways run in India. The government has also recently announced eight more ropeway projects worth Rs. 4,000 cr. under the Parvatmala Scheme to boost India’s domestic and international tourism. We hope all upcoming ropeways are able to balance out sustainability with development and in the process, place India among the world leaders of responsible ropeway infrastructure and development.

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