Defunct Ropeway Leaves Farmers Struggling to Transport Goods

Report by Bijeta Bhandari and Dhading Corespondent Shiva Silwal

A once-operational electric ropeway built over the Trishuli River, connecting villages of Gorkha and Dhading districts to the Prithvi Highway, has remained non-functional for years, forcing local farmers to manually carry agricultural produce across difficult terrain.

The 620-metre-long ropeway was constructed to ease transportation for residents of Hiklung, Thumka and Riplang villages in Gandaki Rural Municipality along the Gorkha–Dhading border.

However, it reportedly went out of operation shortly after its inauguration and has remained defunct for around five years.

As a result, locals are now compelled to spend hours, sometimes nearly three, carrying vegetables and daily essentials on their backs through steep and rugged trails, a journey that earlier took just a few minutes via the ropeway.

Residents say the situation has significantly affected their daily lives and income, as transporting agricultural products to markets has become increasingly difficult.

They also complain that the condition is further worsened by poor access roads linking the villages to the main highway.

The ropeway had replaced an earlier gravity-based system that had become dilapidated and unusable. Locals say they had hoped the electric ropeway would provide long-term relief for transportation challenges in the mountainous region.

Farmers have urged authorities to restore the ropeway service at the earliest, stating that improved connectivity is essential for sustaining their livelihoods and linking remote settlements to nearby markets.