Ropeway to Chamundi Hills: Activists to prevail upon CM to disband the idea

Chamundi Betta Ulisi Samithi opposes ropeway to Chamundi Hills on environmental & technical grounds.

Members of the Chamundi Betta Ulisi Samithi (Save Chamundi Hills Committee) said here on Thursday that the ropeway to Chamundi Hills was not feasible or advisable and it would be prudent to drop the idea on technical and environmental grounds.

This comes in the wake of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent remarks that he was not averse to the idea of ropeway to Chamundi Hills if there were no objections.

Addressing a press conference in the city, Parashurame Gowda said that the issue has been discussed and debated many times in the past and experts from different fields have given their opinion against the project.

The committee members will also meet Mr. Siddaramaiah and prevail upon him to disband the idea of a ropeway to Chamundi Hills on environmental, geological, and other technical grounds, said Mr. Parashurame Gowda.

The Samithi also drew attention to the report of the Conservator of Forests dated 21/08/2012 in which it was categorically mentioned that the ropeway was not feasible as Chamundi Hills on various enviromental grounds besides pointing out that it had well-laid all-weather approach roads to reach the top.

Mr. Parashurame Gowda said more than 70,000 people had signed an online petition in February 2022 while over 50,000 people had physically signed during a campaign launched against the project and hence the public opinion was not in favour of the project.

The Samithi members also drew attention to a round table conference on Chamundi Hills conducted in April 2022 where in experts from different walks of life had spoken out against the project while technical papers were also presented as to why it was not conducive to have a ropeway to Chamundi Hills.