The ropeway on Trikut hills. (Below) The cabin cars. Pictures by Alok Santoshi

Trikut (Deoghar), July 21: Get your seatbelts on! The much-awaited ropeway along the Trikut hills took its first commercial run today.

About 20km from the Deoghar district headquarters, the ropeway begins its journey from the base station at the foothills to the top of Trikut, about 2,800ft above sea-level.

As news of the opening spread, a large number of pilgrims began pouring in at the hills. The tourism department, which believes that the ropeway will help them attract more tourists to Trikut, plans to launch the service formally after the new governor is in office.

“Each year, I visit this place during my trip to the Baidyanath Temple and I would also climb the top of Trikut hills. It was tedious. But now I can enjoy the new ropeway service. It’s a boon,” said Birendar Vikram Singh, a pilgrim from Mumbai.

Another lucky passenger who was able to enjoy the ride on the first day was Sweta Tiwary of Guwahati. “The view is just amazing. I will always remember this experience. I enjoyed nature for the first time in my life,” she said.

A return trip on the ropeway would cost Rs 50 per head. But passengers would be would be required to return within two hours. Otherwise, they will have to pay an additional Rs 50 for the return journey.

There are 26 cabins in operation now, each with a capacity to carry four passengers.

Arun Kumar Singh, the secretary of the state tourism department, said the ropeway was one of the longest in the country because of its location.

Constructed at an angle of 44 degrees, the total length of the rope on which cabins were fixed is about 766m (2,512 feet). The climbs is about 392m (1,282 feet) from the ground to the top.

The project was sanctioned during the tenure of the Arjun Munda-led NDA government to promote religious tourism in Jharkhand.

About Rs 1.50 crore has been spent on the project, which was assigned to the Calcutta-based private ropeway construction company, Damodar Ropeway.

According to officials of the state tourism department, private security personnel along with the Deoghar police would be posted to man the ropeway station. “We hope to set up a separate police station here soon,” a tourism official said.