On Saturday, December 28, the IME Group marked a significant milestone in its cable car ventures with the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Rs 5 billion Jalpadevi Cable Car Project in Kailali.
Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba officiated the ceremony, emphasizing the project’s potential to significantly boost Sudurpaschim’s tourism sector.
The 3.1-km cable car will connect Chisapani in Lamki Chuha Municipality-3 to Rajkanda in Mohanyal Rural Municipality-7 and feature 34 gondolas. Alongside the cable car, the project envisions a comprehensive tourism hub with a hotel, casino, banquet hall, resort, temple, skywalk, walking trails, and a children’s park.
The IME Group, which already operates the Chandragiri, Lumbini, and Maulakalika cable cars, is expanding its footprint in the sector. In November, the foundation stone was laid for another cable car project in Taplejung, connecting to the Pathibhara Temple. Plans for a cable car in Sikles, however, were halted in January 2023 by a Supreme Court interim order related to construction in the Sikles Annapurna Conservation Area.
Political leaders and investors at the event expressed optimism about the Jalpadevi Cable Car’s role in transforming Sudurpaschim’s economy through tourism.
Minister Deuba highlighted the project’s significance for both the region and the nation. Minister for Forest and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi called for increased private sector investment in Sudurpaschim, while Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah pledged government support, emphasizing the project’s potential to promote adventure, religious, and recreational tourism.
IME Group Chairperson Chandra Prasad Dhakal, also the president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), underscored the importance of investing in tourism infrastructure. He expressed confidence that projects like the Jalpadevi Cable Car would drive tourism revenue, create jobs, and contribute to Nepal’s economic growth.
