In view of the mishap in Jharkhand, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla has asked all states and union territories to review their ropeway projects and ensure that standard operating procedure (SOP), contingency plan for operation and maintenance, and systems for safety audits are in place.
On Sunday, trolley cars collided in Jharkhand’s Deoghar district due to a malfunction of the ropeway, leaving tourists trapped mid-air amid Trikut Hills for 40 hours. The Indian Air Force rescued 35 people, while three, including two who fell from helicopters during the rescue operations, died. All trapped tourists have been evacuated.
“The incident has highlighted the need for a detailed SOP and a contingency plan on ropeway operations, so as to prevent occurrence of any such incident in the future,” Bhalla’s letter stated.
“The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already prescribed parameters for operation and maintenance of ropeway projects, which need to be scrupulously adhered to. The necessary guidance in this regard may be taken from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), the nodal organisation under the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways.”
The Home Secretary has also advised the state governments to engage an experienced and qualified firm or organisation to carry out safety audits of all ropeway projects. The entity operating the ropeway must comply with all issues arising out of the audit.
For each ropeway project, a maintenance manual must be prepared. “There should also be a maintenance programme so that the safety standards confirm to good industry practices. The entity operating the ropeways must maintain a record of all activities undertaken as part of the maintenance programme,” he added.
“It should also be ensured that mock drills for handling contingency situations involving ropeways are periodically conducted. You may like to designate a senior officer of an appropriate level to regularly review the preparedness measures,” Bhalla said.
He also praised the valiant efforts made by the Indian Air Force, NDRF, Indian Army, ITBP and local administration for the rescue operations.
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