India implements urban ropeways to bypass city traffic

India is implementing urban ropeway systems to combat extreme traffic congestion in its densely populated cities. In historic centers like Varanasi, narrow streets and old buildings make road expansion impossible, while metro construction is often too expensive and slow due to complex underground infrastructure.

The Varanasi Kashi Ropeway serves as a primary example, utilizing electric gondolas that travel 10 to 50 meters above rooftops. These systems offer several advantages: they require minimal ground space for support pillars, are faster and cheaper to build than rail systems, and eliminate direct exhaust emissions.

This initiative is part of a broader national program known as Parvatmala Pariyojana, which aims to expand aerial transport solutions across the country to provide reliable, fixed-time transit that bypasses ground-level traffic jams.