By Deepak Gyawali
Butwal, Feb. 22: Following the foundation stone laying of Lumbini Cable Car last week by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel laid the foundation stone for yet another cable car in Butwal on Sunday.
The cable car, which is stipulated to come in operation in the next 18 months, will connect Butwal Deurali Danda to Palpa’s Nuwakot, according to Siddhartha Cablecar Pvt. Ltd., the company tasked with the completion of the project. The company aims to operate a total of 25 gondolas on the ropeway from Butwal’s Deurali Danda, the lower station, leading up to Palpa’s Nuwakot, and vice-versa.
Speaking during the foundation laying ceremony, Minister Poudel highlighted the infrastructure’s multi-faceted benefits. “The ropeway will not only ease transportation to and from the two distant destinations but will also help foster tourism in the area,” said Paudel.
Talking about the tourism sector, the Finance Minister also lauded Rupandehi district for leading infrastructural and tourism development in the country. “Rupandehi has been a role model owing to the wonderful long-term projects that have been sprouting up within the district,” he added.
Paudel also highlighted the progress made on the two mega projects in Rupandehi namely the Gautam Buddha International Airport and the Lumbini Master Plan. “The first phase of the airport is almost complete, and will soon enter the next phase,” he informed. “Also, the Lumbini Master Plan will be accomplished in the next couple of years,” assured Paudel, talking about the master plan, which has been stretching and dodging deadlines for the last four decades.