The Government has signed an agreement to initiate the country’s first-ever cable car project in Nuwara Eliya with an investment of around US$ 55 million.
This cable car project will cover a distance of 4 km from Nanu-Oya to Nuwara-Eliya in two phases.
The main objective of the project is to provide an opportunity to experience the beauty of the environment and to view the surrounding area from different angles from the sky above.
The Urban Development and Housing Ministry said the government had officially commenced the Nuwara Eliya Cable Car Project, one of the special development projects being implemented with the aim of steering Sri Lanka’s tourism industry forward.
The agreement was signed on the instructions of the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Urban Development and Housing Minister for the first cable car project in the country as a significant investment in the country’s economy as well as the tourism industry, the Ministry said.
Nuwara Eliya District is a popular tourist destination and this area is also attracting a large number of tourists and the new project will further enhance the area reputation as a tourist hub.
Plans for all development activities have been prepared and finalized to complete the work on the proposed cable car project within the next 18 months.
This project is initiated by the Tourist Board and the Tourism Ministry.The Urban Development Authority will be contacted as a partner, Urban Development Authority Director General, Prasad Ranaweera said.
The project, which is being implemented under the Swedish Foreign Aid Scheme, is being developed on a 30-year lease basis at a cost of US$ 55 million.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed recently at the Urban Development and Housing Ministry auditorium.Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister C.B. Ratnayake, Urban Development and Housing Ministry Secretary Sirinimal Perera, Urban Development Authority Chairman retired Major General Udaya Nanayakkara, Urban Development Authority Director General Prasad Ranaweera; Chairman, Outdoor Engineering Company in Sweden and Director of Lanka Outdoor Engineering Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. were present.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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