The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change vide notification dated 2nd February, 2022 has issued draft amendment to limit the scope of EIA Notification, 2006. In view of the receipt of representation from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stating that ropeways are an important component of the transport network of the country as it can be used to provide last mile connectivity as well as mobility in hilly areas and the requirement of environmental clearance for these projects came only in 2006 and before that these projects were excluded from the requirement of Environmental Clearance and the fact that Public utility ropeways have been excluded from the ambit of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 from 05.08.2019, aerial ropeway projects are to be excluded from the ambit of EIA Notification, 2006.
The Expert Committee recommended that aerial ropeway is an environment friendly mode of transport in hilly areas with least impact on environment compared to Roads/ Highways and recommended that aerial ropeway projects may be excluded from the ambit of EIA Notification, 2006.
Any person interested in making any objections or suggestions on the proposal contained in the draft
notification may forward the same in writing for consideration of the Central Government within sixty days of publication through e-mail.
