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Gravity ropeways in 10 more districts
KATHMANDU, MAY 19 -
The government is planning to install gravity ropeways in 10 more districts within three years as a pilot project targeting farmers living in remote areas.
Currently, there are 20 such ropeways across the country, out of which 18 were built in seven districts by the Department of Local Infrastructure Development and Agriculture Road (DoLIDAR) in collaboration with Practical Action Nepal, an international non-governmental organisation, and two were installed by other organisations. Addressing the launching ceremony of Technical Guidelines for Gravity Goods Ropeway, Minister for Local Development Purna Bahadur Sherma said that the installation of gravity ropeways would help reduce poverty and enhance the lives of farmers as the technology saves time and money and was ideal for transporting their farm products to market.
"We have 30,000 km of agriculture roads spread across the country," said Sherma. "Since most of these roads don't work during the rainy season, this alternative access for transporting goods in the hilly areas would be best for farmers."
According to Practical Nepal, the guideline aims to standardise the gravity ropeway installation process and facilitate survey, design, construction, operation and maintenance of gravity ropeways in the hills and mountains. "We aim to produce more technicians in the communities so that they can learn the technology and operate them," said Achyut Kumar Luitel, country director of Practical Action. "This technology has become famous in Meghalaya (India), Bhutan, Bangladesh, Afghan-istan and other countries and they are also seeking our technical assistance."
Gravity ropeways are a complementary access infrastructure based on simple technology that helps transport goods from one place to another in the hills and mountains without the use of electricity, diesel or petrol.
The technology was introduced in Nepal during the Rana regime. "This technology is easy, comparatively cheap and easy to operate," said Dhan Bahadur Tamang, director general of the DoLIDAR.
Posted on: 2010-05-20 07:58
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