Sri Lanka signs agreement to initiate country’s first cable car project in Nuwara Eliya
The government of Sri Lanka reportedly signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan unit of an Austrian firm – Outdoor Engineering Lanka Ltd. – to initiate the country’s first-ever cable car project in Nuwara Eliya with an investment of over Rs. 56 billion.
With the launch of the cable car project, the Sri Lankan government aims to promote Nuwara Eliya as a key tourist hotspot in the country for both foreign and local visitors, the Daily FT has reported.
The tripartite agreement was signed by Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake, Outdoor Engineering AG President Oswald Graber and Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council Mayor Chandana Lal Karunaratne on October 13th in Nuwara Eliya, the report stated.
The cable car system will be built on 21 towers connecting the Nanu Oya train station, Nuwara Eliya Race Course and Single Tree Mountain.
“This cable car project from Nanu Oya to Single Tree will revolutionise the tourist sector in Sri Lanka and add value to Nuwara Eliya as one of the premier tourist destinations in our country,” Sri Lanka’s Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake has told the Daily FT.
Accordingly, the project will consist of a total of 86 cars which can carry 10 passengers each, while in the first phase 43 cars will be made operational. He also said that the project would commence within the next two months and the first phase of it would be operational in a year’s time.
When asked what made the government select Nuwara Eliya in particular, Dissanayake has said the decision was made after thorough consideration was given to its natural beauty and elevated connection points that could provide a memorable experience as well as a bird’s-eye view to both local and foreign travellers.
Sri Lanka’s Government Information Department has stated that Outdoor Engineering Lanka Ltd. and its foreign partner Dopelme Cable Car Company submitted a proposal to start a cable car project from Nanu Oya to Gregory Lake through Single Tree Mountain.
OSL take:
The government of Sri Lanka is engaged in an aggressive development programme that covers all key economic sectors. The cable car project is one such project targeted at giving a boost to the country’s growing tourism industry. The country’s development programme has expanded business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore explore business opportunities in Sri Lanka’s development programme and also look at proposing programmes to develop supplementary infrastructure facilities.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/17102019/Z_3 |