The ropeway project over the Thamarassery Ghat Road is expected to cost ₹150 crore.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

A State-level meeting of heads of Forest, Revenue and Tourism departments will be convened soon to discuss the speedy implementation of the ambitious ropeway project proposed by the Wayanad Chamber of Commerce (WCC) over the scenic Thamarassery Ghat Road nearly three years ago.

The decision to speed up the project was taken at a recent State-level meeting of major stakeholders who had earlier alleged lack of cooperation on the part of the State government to realise the multi-crore tourism project between Adivaram in Kozhikode and Lakkidi in Wayanad.

People’s representatives and WCC functionaries who took part in the first round of meetings with Tourism Minister Mohamed Riyas said they were hopeful of the speedy completion of the venture by 2025 with the supportive stance taken by the government. They also pointed out that investors were initially disappointed over the inordinate delay in clearing various technical hurdles.

“We are happy that the government has finally understood the tourism prospects of the project. The only confusion is over the selection of a feasible mode of implementation. We can go for the public-private partnership mode if the government is ready to accept the terms and conditions of the investors,” said Johny Pattani, president of WCC and one of the coordinators of a committee formed for the execution of the project. He added that a meeting of investors would be held in Wayanad on Saturday to discuss the acceptable mode of implementation.  

According to the earlier plan, the ₹150-crore project covering around 3.5 km was expected to be a reality in 2021. There were investors aplenty under Western Ghats Development Limited who had deposited money for the project. The required extent of land too had been purchased in Kozhikode and Wayanad districts. The detailed project report was prepared in such a way to facilitate the chair car journey of 400 persons across the mountain pass.