HANGING BY A THREAD

More than 60 people were stuck and three people lost their lives on a ropeway in the state following a collision between cable cars. The centre has now outlined the need to have a detailed standard operating procedure and a contingency plan on ropeway operations in the country

- Adarsh Kumar and India Legal Bureau

AFTER the ropeway accident in Jharkhand's Trikut Hills which left three people dead and led to a terrifying ordeal for almost 60 tourists in the swaying cars which collided due to a technical snag, the centre has woken up to the dangers concerning ropeway operations in India. The Union Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla, in a letter to chief secretaries of all states said that the Jharkhand incident highlights the need to have a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and a contingency plan on ropeway operations in India to prevent the occurrence of any such incident in the future.

The Jharkhand High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the ropeway accident. The Court has also issued orders for investigation in this matter. The matter will come up for hearing on April 26. Before this, the state government will have to present a detailed investigation report to the Court. There have been earlier incidents of ropeway accidents in India, but the latest on the ropeway in Trikut Hills in District Deoghar, Jharkhand, was one of the worst in terms of deaths and number of tourists involved in the horrific incident.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla in a letter to the chief secretaries of all states said that there is a need to have a detailed SOP and contingency plan on ropeway operations in India.