Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 6: Six persons were killed after a cargo ropeway trolley, used for carrying construction material up the hill, fell from the fourth tower as the cables snapped at the renowned Mahakali Temple atop the Pavagadh Hill, near Vadodara, in the Panchmahals district in Gujarat on Saturday afternoon, police said.
Superintendent of Police Haresh Dudhat confirmed the six deaths and said police and fire brigade teams were at the spot for rescue and relief operations. He said all the deceased had been identified and there was no one injured and no chance of any increase in the list of casualties.
“It was a ropeway to carry goods that crashed at around 3.30 PM today. Five persons were inside the cabin and on their way back from the top when the cables snapped near the fourth tower and it crashed with tower number one so this is where the impact came, killing all five. One person who was at the scene also died due to the impact,” Ajay Dahiya, collector of Panchamahals, said.
Mr Dahiya said he has ordered the formation of a technical committee to investigate the cause of the incident. “We will investigate all aspects, especially the maintenance part,” Mr Dahiya said while adding that the operator for the goods ropeway was hired by the temple trust.
“The deceased include three local residents, two from Kashmir, Kashmir and one person from Rajasthan. We are investigating the exact cause of the incident,” Inspector General of Police, Godhra-Panchmahals range, Ravindra Asari said.
According to police, the passenger ropeway, which ferries pilgrims to the Kalika Mata Temple, was shut due to bad weather, but the goods ropeway remained in use for ongoing construction activities.
Police have identified the deceased and sent the bodies for post-mortem. Police, fire brigade teams, and district officials reached the spot and began rescue work.
“Annaji alias Bhairavlal Ratilal Jat from Gitawas in Rajasthan, who worked at a hotel; Mohammed Anwar Mahmad Sharifkhan and Balvantsingh Dhaniram, both residents of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, were employed as ropeway operators; Dilipsinh Narvatsingh Koli was deployed as temple security; Hiteshbhai Hasmukhbhai Baria, working at the temple’s food service facility; and Sureshbhai Rayjibhai Koli, a flower trader,” were among the deceased in the accident, an officer said.
The Pavagadh ropeway, built in 1986, is a mono-cable gondola system that carries pilgrims from the base station to near the Kalika Mata Temple, which is part of the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park — a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. Construction work was underway to upgrade facilities and improve pilgrim amenities.
The Panchmahals district administration has ordered an inquiry to determine the cause of the rope snapping and to review the maintenance and operational safety of the system. “Officials are examining whether the trolley was carrying material beyond its load capacity and if there were lapses in routine checks,” an official said.
The passenger ropeway is operated and maintained by Usha Breco Limited, which has been running the service since it was commissioned in 1986.
The Pavagadh ropeway has witnessed a major accident in the past. In January 2003, a hauling rope snapped, causing three cable cars to fall, killing seven persons including two women and a child, and injuring 24. The incident had led to large-scale rescue operations involving the army and air force and prompted a detailed technical review before services were resumed months later.
The temple is situated at a height of around 800 metres, with pilgrims either choosing to climb some 2000 steps or use cable cars to reach the summit. Pavagadh Hill rises from Champaner in three stages and its plateau lies at an altitude of 1471 feet. The hill top has a heavily patronised temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. It attracts around 2.5 million visitors every year.
