SHIMLA: AICC secretary and former minister Sudhir Sharma has questioned the hasty inauguration of Dharamshala-Mcleodganj ropeway project by Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur. He said that by inaugurating the incomplete ropeway project, lives of people have been threatened.
He said that the engineer of the company looking after the safety aspect had put red mark on two points of the ropes carrying the gondolas, but the same was ignored. He demanded the government to tell who had issued the technical clearance and safety certificates before the inauguration.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on January 19 had inaugurated the 1.8-km long ropeway project between Dharamshala and Mcleodganj having the capacity to carry 1,000 persons in one hour in one direction. The journey time has also been cut short as one can complete the journey between Dharamshala to Mcleodganj in 5 minutes through this ropeway. But now this inauguration has come under scanner after the ropeway was closed for maintenance.
Questioning the decision to close the ropeway for public four days after the inauguration, Sudhir Sharma said that safety engineer had issued prior warning but the company running this ropeway project ignored the warning. He said that ropeway was not 100% fit for transportation of people and had failed the safety test and this fact was concealed from public. He said that company knew in advance that operation will have to be suspended after inauguration to repair the rope joints and this important aspect was kept as a secret.
He said that just to take credit, the government inaugurated the ropeway without looking into safety aspects and risked the lives of people who used this ropeway for transportation. He said that in the MoU, there was a condition that the ropeway would run with the capacity of carrying 1,000 persons in one hour in one direction but it actually has the capacity of 650 persons only.
He said that condition of giving 75 per cent employment to local people was also violated as outsiders were recruited in this project. He said that even work of parking has not started at take off point. He said that in violation of essential agreement, company has been provided access commercial area for usage.
He said that the engineer of the company looking after the safety aspect had put red mark on two points of the ropes carrying the gondolas, but the same was ignored. He demanded the government to tell who had issued the technical clearance and safety certificates before the inauguration.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on January 19 had inaugurated the 1.8-km long ropeway project between Dharamshala and Mcleodganj having the capacity to carry 1,000 persons in one hour in one direction. The journey time has also been cut short as one can complete the journey between Dharamshala to Mcleodganj in 5 minutes through this ropeway. But now this inauguration has come under scanner after the ropeway was closed for maintenance.
Questioning the decision to close the ropeway for public four days after the inauguration, Sudhir Sharma said that safety engineer had issued prior warning but the company running this ropeway project ignored the warning. He said that ropeway was not 100% fit for transportation of people and had failed the safety test and this fact was concealed from public. He said that company knew in advance that operation will have to be suspended after inauguration to repair the rope joints and this important aspect was kept as a secret.
He said that just to take credit, the government inaugurated the ropeway without looking into safety aspects and risked the lives of people who used this ropeway for transportation. He said that in the MoU, there was a condition that the ropeway would run with the capacity of carrying 1,000 persons in one hour in one direction but it actually has the capacity of 650 persons only.
He said that condition of giving 75 per cent employment to local people was also violated as outsiders were recruited in this project. He said that even work of parking has not started at take off point. He said that in violation of essential agreement, company has been provided access commercial area for usage.
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