Nepal has a good deal of experience and expertise in Suspension bridge construction and Micro and small hypropower development. Cable cars and ropeways can be better alternative means of transportation in Hill and Mountain Nepal
Graduating susp bridge to ropeways and cable cars in Nepal by Bhim Updhyaya
1. Paper on
Graduating Upwards from Suspension
Bridges to Ropeways and Cable Cars
Nepal's Experience and Expertise
Presented by
Bhim P Upadhyaya
Joint Secretary
Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction
for National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) for the Simposium
'Carbon Neutral Pathways in Nepal with a Special Focus on Ropeways and
Electric Transport'
23 Nov, 2014
2. Nepal's Experience and Expertise-1
4 decades of designing, fabrication , installation construction of more than
5500 numbers suspension bridges experience.
Nepal has developed proper know-hows and appropriate technologies.
Almost all accessories and construction component parts are fabricated
produced or manufactured in Nepal, more than 3 dozens of steel works
factories in Nepal.
No manufacturing of steel cable wire ropes as yet.
Sufficient numbers of cement factories, construction materials sand, stones
and bricks are easily available everywhere.
Therefore, the country of large numbers of rivers and streams and more than
80% of land covered by Hills and Mountains, suspension bridges are life lines
to remote people.
Being a virgin and beautiful terrain with natural resources and beauties
tourism and agriculture development has a great potential.
3. Nepal's Experience and Expertise-2
Cable cars can be a very popular means of transport for
tourism, pilgrimages and small amount agricultural produces
transportation.
Likewise Ropeways for transportation of construction
materials, agricultural inputs and outputs can solve an
alternative means of transportation if not for passengers.
Expensive roads building might not be feasible and technical
justifiable given the environmental situations.
However, power availability is a big crunch. Micro or small
hydro power plants can be developed with a package master
plan.
Then ropeways and cable care could economically serve as
per the affording capacity of the common people.
4. Nepal's Experience and Expertise-3
Nepal has already a very good expertise developed in
micro and small hydropower development along
with cable technologies.
Cable car and ropeways however require a robust
safety measures to ensure safety of the commuters.
So such technologies in Cable cars and Ropeways for
mechanical parts can be procured from the best
wherever available in the abroad. Switzerland,
Germany to name a few have the most reliable
technology with full safety.
For other small components Nepali firms and
companies can take the responsibility.
5. Nepal's Experience and Expertise-4
Joint venture companies with foreign companies could be a
viable development arrangement in cable and ropeways.
Mechanised bridges over rivers are also installed at
different places. Kusma is a very good example of
financially feasible one.
Nepal has so far only one cable car service to Mankamana
Temple. There are many such Pilgrim centers which can be
connected by cable cars like in Mankamana Model.
From Next year a cable car will be ready for service in
Kathamandu Valley joining Chandragiri Hill resort. Phewa
lake to Sarangkot cable car is already ready.
Likewise there are many proposals in pipeline in Tourism
Department for cable car development.
6. Nepal's Experience and Expertise-5
So cable car service are very viable to the promotion of tourism as
well, however, the shortage of electric power is the main hindrance.
private sectors are installing diesel generators for power, which in
turn, makes tariff very expensive.
Gravity ropeways are also experimented. It can transport only 1
quintal at a time. There are about a dozen of such gravity ropeways
under operation, some very successful.
Thus, Given the terrain of Nepal, ropeways and cable cars can be a
economically environmentally and financially viable transportation
enterprise.
With the expertise developed so far on Micro and small
hydropower sectors along with suspension bridge designing and
construction, high time to go for cable cars and ropeways
technologies.
32. Conclusion !
Its high time to go for cable car and ropeway services.
FDI can be welcomed.
Ropeways can be an alternative viable means for high
value crops transportation.
Cable car service for pilgrim and tourism spots.
Micro small hydro-power plants can be developed as a
package to these services.
Cable manufacturing companies can be welcomed for
domestic and exports in Nepal.
Construction materials and engineers are available in the
country.
Zero Emission technologies can earn carbon credit.
Nepali income and remittances have increased so
affordable and more viable now than before in the
history.