India’s longest river ropeway of 1.82 km connecting Guwahati and North Guwahati over the Brahmaputra River in Assam was inaugurated on 24 August. It is expected to boost tourism in the region.

The ropeway will cross the Urvashi Island and the commuters will catch a glimpse of the Umananda Temple on Peacock Island, built by Ahom King Gadadhar Singha. Launching the ropeway service, Assam Health, Finance and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that generally ropeway is built in the mountainous areas, but the Guwahati ropeway is the first ropeway in India over a river.

Consisting of two cabins with each having a capacity of 32 passengers at a time, the ropeway, however, given the Covid-19 protocol, will for the time being only carry 15 people, said the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), which executed the project.

“It is ecologically sustainable as it is run by electric power protecting the beauty of the area, while simultaneously providing passengers with a comfortable and speedy means of travel,” an official statement said.