The proposed Pune ropeway connecting the Sarasbagh area with Parvati has cleared an early planning hurdle after the Pune Municipal Corporation standing committee approved the appointment of a management consultant for the project. The consultant will examine the project’s technical and financial feasibility, prepare the detailed project report and support the civic body through the tendering process.
Standing committee chairman Shrinath Bhimale said the ropeway has been proposed to promote tourism in Pune. The project has received a provision of ₹1 crore in the Pune Municipal Corporation’s 2026-27 budget, although the total project cost will be determined only after the detailed planning and feasibility exercises are completed.
The civic body plans to appoint the consultant because it does not have the specialised manpower required for a project based on electrical and mechanical systems. The consultant’s responsibilities will begin with an inspection of the proposed site and extend to the preparation of the project design, detailed project report, cost estimate and terms and conditions for the tender.
The consultant will also identify the government permissions required for the ropeway and determine the process for securing them. The PMC will study whether the project can be implemented through a public-private partnership or under the design-build-finance-operate-transfer model. The financial viability of these models will form part of the consultant’s assessment.
According to the proposed specifications, the ropeway route will run from Peshwe Park to Parvati and will be approximately 750 metres long. The plan includes five towers, with heights ranging from 12 metres to 40 metres. The system is expected to have 22 cabins, each with a capacity of eight passengers.
The proposed journey time is two-and-a-half minutes. The ropeway is designed to carry up to 1,500 passengers per hour in one direction. These figures describe the preliminary proposal and may be revised after the site survey, detailed project report and technical evaluation.
The approval does not amount to final construction approval or confirmation of the project’s final cost. The next stage is the appointment of the consultant, who will prepare the technical and financial documents needed for the PMC to assess the project, determine its implementation model and proceed with the tender process.
