June 7: Two reputed business houses of Nepal have resumed the construction of cable cars and star hotels, which was halted due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Construction of Butwal-Palpa cable car and hotel is underway with the joint investment of more than Rs 4 billion of Sharma & Company and IME Group.

Although the construction of the first phase of the three-kilometer long cable car started three months ago, the construction of a five-star hotel is set to start from September.  Sharma & Company, a successful construction company, has invested 50 percent in the project and started a hotel and cable car for the first time.

Meanwhile, the IME Group, which has established itself as a successful company in the banking and remittance sector, has 50 per cent investment in the project.

Ramesh Sharma, chairman of Sharma & Company, said that his company and the IME Group, which operates cable cars and resorts in Chandragiri, Kathmandu, had moved ahead with the project which was halted due to coronavirus pandemic.  "The cable car structure has been under construction for three months now," Sharma said.

Sharma informed that they have already set up six out of the nine towers of the cable car.  The company stated that all the cable car towers will be fixed by mid-July.  The starting point of the cable car will be Butwal's Bamghat, Chidiyakhola and the last stop will be Basantapur Danda of Palpa.  Sharma said that the construction of the cable car and the process of purchasing coaches will be expedited from next April.

The cable car will have 24 compartments.  Two of them will be carrying luggages.  Following the success of cable car and resort operation in Chandragiri, IME Group and Sharma & Company have followed the same modality and started the project of running hotel and Butwal-Basantapur cable car in Basantapur of Palpa. 

According to Sharma, the hotel will take another two to three years to come into operation.

After the operation of the cable car, the second phase will focus on building five-star hotel and lodges and also halls and restaurants for holding conventions.

Sharma informed that about 30 ropanis of land has been purchased for the purpose.  "There are plans to add another 30 ropanis," Sharma said.

The company is targeting both internal and external tourists. Investors say such tourism infrastructure needs to be built to develop MICE tourism and hill stations.

Basantapur hill, a few kilometers away from Butwal, is considered to be an ideal place for escaping the high temperature of Butwal and Bhairahawa. Investors believe that this place can become a favourite choice of domestic and foreign tourists after the construction of cable car.

Similarly, the second international airport, Gautam Buddha, and the Pokhara Regional International Airport, which is under construction, are also aimed at making Palpa a preferred choice and a hill station style destination for tourists, Sharma said.