Mumbai, Nov 9 — In a major step towards developing Mumbai’s first ropeway, the Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) has invited bids for the appointment of a consultant to prepare a comprehensive architectural design for the proposed ropeway connecting Mulund’s foothills to Taramati Mata Temple inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP).
Mulund BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha, who had earlier demanded a ropeway connecting the foothills of Mulund to Taramati Mata Temple with the objective of boosting tourism in the area, on Monday confirmed the government's move.
Welcoming the development, Kotecha said, “During the 2024 election campaign, we had promised to develop a ropeway from the foothills of Mulund to Taramati Mata Temple, located atop the picturesque hills of Mulund, to promote tourism. It is heartening that the PWD has now floated a tender for the appointment of a consultant to prepare the architectural design of the project.”
"This tender is not for a commercial ropeway from Mulund to Borivali. It is exclusively for a ropeway within Mulund, connecting the foothills to Taramati Mata Temple, which is located within the boundaries of Sanjay Gandhi National Park," he added.
Dismissing misplaced speculation that the proposed ropeway would extend to Borivali, Kotecha clarified that the project would proceed only after the detailed design is finalised and all requisite clearances are obtained from the Centre’s forest and environment departments.
Kotecha said the proposal also envisages an observatory at the hilltop, which would offer visitors panoramic views of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the adjoining Tulsi Lake.
“We have proposed a beautiful observatory where tourists can seek the blessings of Taramati Mata Temple by taking the ropeway and also soak in the breathtaking views of Sanjay Gandhi National Park from the observatory. The entire proposal is aimed at boosting tourism not just in Mulund but across Mumbai. The city currently does not have a single ropeway, and this project will help promote tourism while showcasing the natural beauty of Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tulsi Lake,” he said.
The scope of the tender includes identifying suitable ropeway alignments and locations, assessing land requirements, benchmarking international ropeway systems and conducting various engineering investigations.
These will include topographical, geotechnical, geodetic, hydrographic and reconnaissance surveys.
The appointed consultant will also be responsible for preparing the detailed ropeway alignment and system design, identifying the origin and destination stations, and estimating the overall project cost.
The scope further includes assessing the project's social, environmental, forest and wildlife impacts, said the tender document.