Sarasbaug-Parvati Ropeway: PMC Standing Committee Approves Consultant for 750-Metre Line With 22 Cabins and 2.5-Minute Ride; DPR Next
PMC has approved a consultant for the 750-metre ropeway from Peshwe Park to Parvati hill. The plan: 22 cabins, five towers and a 2.5-minute ride. What happens next.
Photo: DesiBoy101 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Pune, 1st November 2026: The long-discussed ropeway to Parvati hill has moved a small but real step forward. The Pune Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee has approved the appointment of a project management consultant for the proposed 750-metre ropeway between Peshwe Park, next to Sarasbaug, and Parvati. Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale announced the decision on Saturday, 31 October.
This is not a go-ahead for construction. The consultant will first prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR), and the PMC will decide whether and how to build the ropeway only after studying it.
What the preliminary plan looks like
According to the plan placed before the committee:
- Length: about 750 metres, from Peshwe Park to Parvati hill
- Towers: five, between 12 and 40 metres tall
- Cabins: 22, each carrying eight passengers
- Ride time: about two and a half minutes
- Capacity: 1,500 passengers per hour in one direction
For comparison, climbing the 103 steps of Parvati takes a fit person ten to fifteen minutes, and a lot longer for elderly devotees and families with small children. A ropeway would make the temple complex and its views far more accessible to them.
What the consultant will do
The consultant’s job covers the DPR, technical and financial feasibility, cost estimates, tender conditions, site inspection and a list of all permissions required. It will also study whether the project can be built under a public-private partnership (PPP) or a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) model, where a private operator builds and runs the ropeway and recovers its cost from tickets.
The fee is 1.27% of the project cost or Rs 2.54 crore, whichever is higher, plus taxes. The PMC has said it does not have the specialised staff to handle a ropeway’s electrical and mechanical systems, which is why it is hiring outside expertise. The PMC had invited tenders for the consultancy in August. The overall project cost has not been worked out yet. The civic body has a token Rs 1 crore for the ropeway in its 2026-27 budget.
The hard questions
Parvati is not just a viewpoint. The hill has the Parvati temple complex built in the Peshwa era, and the area around it is a sensitive heritage zone. Any ropeway will need heritage and environmental clearances, and its towers and stations will have to fit around the temples, the hill’s green cover and the densely built Parvati Paytha neighbourhood. Parking at Peshwe Park, already crowded on weekends because of Sarasbaug next door, is another issue the DPR will have to solve.
Ropeways in Indian cities have a mixed record, with some well-run tourist projects and others stuck for years. The DPR will show whether this one is practical.
What happens next
Once the consultant is formally appointed, the DPR usually takes several months. After that, the PMC will need general body approval, clearances and a tender. A realistic timeline for passengers is some years away. We will follow the project as it moves.
The PMC is also planning a 100-foot flag at Sinhagad fort. For more on how the city gets around, see our Pune Metro guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the proposed Sarasbaug-Parvati ropeway?
About 750 metres, connecting Peshwe Park near Sarasbaug with Parvati hill.
How long will the Parvati ropeway ride take?
The preliminary plan estimates a ride of about two and a half minutes, with 22 eight-seater cabins.
Has construction of the Parvati ropeway been approved?
No. The PMC has only approved a consultant to prepare a Detailed Project Report. A decision on building it will be taken after the report.
