MHA Issues Safety Guidelines for Ropeways After Cable Car Collision in Jharkhand

The accident had taken place on 10 April, when cable cars on a ropeway collided with each other.

Shortly after rescue operations in Jharkhand's Trikut hills concluded after the collision of cable cars mid-air, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an advisory on Tuesday, 12 March, mentioning guidelines to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.

While the MHA praised the efforts of the armed forces during the rescue efforts, it highlighted the need for a Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) to be adopted while operating ropeways.

"This incident has highlighted the need to have a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and a contingency plan on ropeway operations, so as to prevent occurrence of any such incident in the future," the MHA said.

What Happened in Jharkand?

The operation to rescue people stuck mid-air in Jharkhand's Trikut hills was completed 46 hours after it began on Tuesday, 12 April, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said.

Of a total of 59 people stuck, 56 people have been rescued, while three people have died, District Collector Manjunath Bhajantri said in a statement on Tuesday.

The accident had taken place on 10 April, wherein cable cars on a ropeway collided with each other.

Maintenance, Safety Audits Must: MHA

It also shed light on the importance of properly maintaining ropeways, saying, "For operation and maintenance of ropeway projects, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) have already been prescribed, which need to be scrupulously adhered to".

Further, the ministry urged the Jharkhand government to engage an "experienced" and "qualified" firm to carry out safety audits of each ropeway project, adding that a maintenance manual and programme must be prepared to ensure that safety standards are always prioritised.

The guidelines also emphasised the importance of mock drills to ensure the safe operationalisation of ropeways. "It should also be ensured that mock drills/mock exercises for handling contingency situations involving ropeways are periodically conducted."