June 8: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' inaugurated the newly installed Lumbini cable car service today.

 The cable car, spanning approximately three kilometers, operates from Golpark Bamghat of Butwal sub-metropolitan city-3 to Basantapur of Tinau rural municipality-3 in Palpa district, making it the first cable car in Lumbini Province.

During the inauguration, Prime Minister Dahal unveiled a copper plaque at the Bottom Station located in Golpark Bamghat, formally launching the cable car service.

Basantapur, the destination accessible through the Lumbini cable car, boasts several notable attractions, including the Kamakhyadevi temple, Bhagwati temple, Ganesh temple, Kailash Parbat, and other structures such as ponds and stone spouts. As a result, Basantapur has now emerged as a religious tourism hotspot.

The successful operation of the Lumbini cable car service is the outcome of a collaborative effort between the Lumbini Cable Car Company, Butwal sub-metropolis, and Tinau Rural Municipality. IME Group invested for the construction of the cable car and brought it into operation, which is their third cable car project in the country. 

Chandra Prasad Dhakal, the Chairperson of Lumbini Cable Car Pvt Ltd, expressed his gratitude towards the federal government, Lumbini province government, local government, and the local community for their support and assistance in bringing the Lumbini cable car to fruition.

Dhakal emphasized that the cable car's operation would contribute to the economic and social transformation of Rupandehi, Palpa, Nawalparasi, Kapilvastu, and the entire Lumbini Province.

Furthermore, Chair Dhakal announced a new campaign for the construction of a cable car religious tourism circuit. The initial phase of this project has already seen an investment of Rs 1.5 billion, with the total cost of the cable car project and resort estimated to be Rs 5 billion.

The cable car infrastructure includes restaurants at the top station, with additional amenities such as hotels, children's playgrounds, skywalks, and zip lines currently under construction.

The bottom station sits at an elevation of 230 meters above sea level, while the top station is located at 940 meters above sea level. With 25 gondolas available, passengers can reach the top station from the bottom station in just 10 minutes.

The Lumbini cable car service not only enhances the region's religious significance but also contributes to its overall tourism development. This project aligns with the aspirations of political leaders and the people of Lumbini Province, who aim to establish Rupandehi as the financial capital of the province, said Chair Dhakal.