This project, with an investment of ₹800 crore, is touted as the first rope car service of its kind operating within a city in India, as stated by Varanasi Divisional Commissioner S Rajalingam.
“We aim to have it operational by May 2026. Work is ongoing at the moment,” he confirmed.
Discussing the rope car service further, he mentioned that the initiative followed multiple visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the sacred city, aimed at enhancing the city’s infrastructure.
PM Modi is serving as the representative for the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency for the third consecutive term.
“Out of a total allocation of ₹60,000 crore for the city, ₹40,000 crore has been earmarked for infrastructure development. The motivation behind the rope car project stems from an increase in daily visitors to the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple—from 5,000 in the past to nearly two lakh today. This service is part of the city’s modernization strategy,” Rajalingam told PTI.
He noted that Varanasi has a population of approximately 42 lakh.
Rajalingam, originally from Kadayanallur, Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu, took over as the Divisional Commissioner of Varanasi in April 2025.
Due to narrow roads and congested areas, a Metro rail project was deemed unfeasible, leading to the decision to establish the rope car service, he explained.
“This will be the first rope car service covering a 4-km distance within the city, with an anticipated travel time of 15-20 minutes from the railway station to the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple,” he said.
“We expect to set the ticket fare at ₹50 or ₹100 per person. Each Gandola (aerial cable car) will accommodate around 10 passengers, and we plan to deploy approximately 148 Gandolas for the service,” he noted.
“Once operational, we project that the rope car will serve about 1 lakh passengers daily,” he added.
In response to a query, he indicated that the district administration anticipates nearly 7 crore visitors to the city this year, following a footfall of 6.5 crore in 2024.
Rajalingam also mentioned initiatives to improve transportation via waterways. “Dredging operations are ongoing, and we have set up eight community jetties along the waterways,” he said.
To enhance inland waterways, he reported that the administration had increased the number of operational boats on the Ganga River from 600 to around 2,000 to better serve the public.
The government is also focused on improving public transport, with electric buses now operational on key routes, he added.
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