The Manakamana Cable Car ( in Nepali: मनकामना केबल कार) is a monocable detachable gondola lift transportation system located in Chitwan, Nepal. The 2,772.2 m (9,095 ft) line has two stations, connecting Kurintar, Chitwan to Manakamana temple, Gorkha. It provides an aerial link from the base station located inside the cable car station to the peak of the Kafakdada hill, where the Manakamana Temple is located at 1300 metres above sea level and from which the cable car receives its name.
The operation of Nepal’s first commercial Cable Car service commenced on 24 November 1998 and was inaugurated by the Late Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah. The cable car system is designed by the Doppelmayr Group of Austria, an ISO 9001:2015 certified company and the leading international manufacturer in the aerial ropeway industry.
Technical Features
- Horizontal distance: 2774.20 m
- Vertical rise: 1033.60 m
- Inclined distance: 3023.75 m
- Haul rope diameter: 41mm
- Bull wheel diameter: Top 4.8 m, Bottom 4.4 m
- Design speed: 0.3–6 m/s
- Operating speed: 3.5–6 m/s
- Turn around trip time: 8.24 minute
- Hourly capacity: 660 passengers/hour
- Number of stations: 2
- Number of in-line towers: 20
- Height of tallest tower: 41 m
- Longest free span: 516 m (between Tower 5 and Tower 6 )
- Steepest gradient: 37 degrees
Founded by the late Laxman Babu Shrestha, Chitawon Co-E Group is a pioneer in the tourism and service industry. As part of its companies, they created Mankamana Darshan (P) Ltd. The company has resulted in a significant transformation of the mode of transportation to the revered temple of Manakamana, a prominent Hindu pilgrimage site located at the top of a hill in Gorkha.
The construction of the cable car of Manakamana by the Chitawon Co-E Group has revolutionized movement to the temple, making it easily accessible to the general public. Previously, reaching the temple located at the top of the hill was a difficult task. However, thanks to the cable car system, people can now easily get to the temple of Manakamana from Cheres, in the rural municipality of Icchakamana in Chitwan. This development has greatly benefited pilgrims and visitors alike, allowing them to experience the spiritual significance of the temple with greater ease and convenience.
On November 24, 1998, the first commercial cable car service in Nepal was launched, revolutionizing transportation in the region. The installation of this advanced system was entrusted to the famous Doppelmayr Group, renowned for its efficiency and outstanding performance in cable car technology. Benefiting from this high-calibre infrastructure, Manakamana Darshan serves more than one million pilgrims each year, providing them with a remarkable travel experience.
In addition to providing regular walks for pilgrims, the, Manakamana Darshan has also demonstrated his commitment to social responsibility. Following the devastating earthquake of 2015, the company volunteered its services to transport essential goods to the affected village Manakamana. Thanks to the Laxman Babu Memorial Trust, we have facilitated the transportation of vital supplies such as dry food, drinking water, tarpaulins, rice and medicine. This support played a crucial role in the recovery and reconstruction efforts of the village during this difficult period.
The system will get major upgraded to D-Connect from Doppelmayr this year along with new haul rope from Fatzer..
The aerial line has two stations:
- Base Station (Cheres, Chitwan): Height 258 m (846 ft)
- Top Station (Manakamana, Gorkha): Height 1,302 m (4,272 ft)
There are currently 34 gondolas with 6 passenger seating capacity each and 3 freight carriers in operation. The cable car ride covers a distance of 2.8 kilometres (1.7 mi) in 10 minutes.[7] The cable car system was imported from Austria and guarantees a hundred percent safety, featuring automatically operated generators in case of power failure and hydraulic emergency drive.