Pilgrims visiting or planning to visit the Surkanda Devi Temple in Uttarakhand are happy with the recently inaugurated ropeway which has now made the two km trek to the hill-top temple redundant.
Dhanaulti, a tourist destination in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, is about 60km away by road from Mussoorie. About seven km from here is the much revered Surkanda Devi Temple perched on a hill-top. According to local people it is a &lsquosiddhapeeth&rsquo dedicated to an incarnation of goddess Durga. The temple is also well-known for its architecture and as a view point. Perched at 2,700 metre, it offers a panoramic view of the Himalayan snow peaks on a clear day and the surrounding forest.
So long, cars would go till the village of Kaddu Khal from where visitors had to walk up to the temple. Recently, a ropeway has been constructed from Kaddu Khal till the top for the benefit of visitors. The almost two hour trek has now been reduced to an almost 10 minute journey by the ropeway. The ticket is priced at Rs 177 per head to start with.
According to media reports, the temple has already seen an increase in the number of visitors since the opening of the ropeway. However, nature lovers are worried that the short and scenic mountain trail might fall into disuse as more and more people take the ropeway.
The ropeway was inaugurated on May 1 this year by Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami.