A ₹650-crore Bhimashankar ropeway has been proposed to connect Karjat in Raigad district directly with the pilgrimage centre, offering travellers from Mumbai and nearby areas an alternative to road access. The project, outlined by former state minister Dilip Walse Patil during a visit to Bhimashankar on 14 November, is awaiting approval from a Maharashtra Government subcommittee chaired by the Chief Minister.
The proposed system is planned to carry 144 passengers at a time, with 72 passengers travelling in each direction. If approved, it would give pilgrims another route to the Bhimashankar temple, particularly during periods when road access is congested or difficult to manage.
The proposal was discussed as Walse Patil reviewed ongoing works under the temple’s development plan. The project is being presented as a way to improve connectivity while limiting the physical footprint of construction around the surrounding landscape.
According to the proposal outlined by Walse Patil, the ropeway would not require tree cutting and would involve minimal land acquisition. These claims are central to the project’s stated approach, although the available report does not provide a detailed alignment plan, environmental assessment or land-acquisition framework.
The project has not yet received final clearance. It must first be considered by the state-level subcommittee chaired by the Chief Minister, meaning the proposed cost, route, construction schedule and implementation arrangements remain subject to the approval process.
The ropeway proposal comes as separate development work at the Bhimashankar temple moves towards its next phase. The temple administration may temporarily restrict public access if construction activity makes a closure necessary. Walse Patil has asked devotees to cooperate with the authorities should such a restriction be imposed.
The potential temporary closure would affect pilgrims during the implementation of the temple development works, but no closure date has been announced in the supplied report. The next formal milestone for the ropeway is consideration by the Chief Minister-chaired subcommittee.
