CHAUTARA: An initiative has been taken to construct cable car at Paanchpokhari in Sindhupalchok district, which has many pilgrimage sites and tourist destinations.

According to the Paanchpokhari Thangpal Rural Municipality, preliminary report has been prepared to install cable car from Chhinji Deurali of Bhotang to Lauribina of Paanchpokhari covering 6.5 kilometres.

As per the report, the cable car to be installed there would be at the highest altitude of the country given the location of Paanchpokhari at 4,151 metres from sea level. The cost for the construction of the cable car has been estimated to be around Rs 2 billion.

According to Chairperson of Paanchpokhari Thangpal Rural Municipality-3, Ningchhring Tamang, Rs 5 million has been allocated for the tourism management of Paanchpokhari area in the current fiscal year. Various cable car companies were contacted after the preliminary report was received and Kumari Bank has shown interest in investing in the project, informed Kumar Basnet, Technical Assistant at the rural municipality.

A grand fair is held every year on the occasion of Janai Poornima at Paanchpokhari, and three hotels have come into operation since July 17. The area has also been seeing an influx of foreign tourists coming to see the lakes.

However, transportation is a problem during the rainy season as the bus service available from Kathmandu to Paanchpokhari stops at Tipane and one has to walk for nearly two days to reach there via Bhotang.