Task force formed to resolve Pathibhara cable car dispute

KATHMANDU: The government has formed a task force to resolve the long-standing dispute surrounding the construction of a cable car in the historic and religious Mukkumlung Pathibhara area of Taplejung.

According to a decision made at the secretary level of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Thursday, a seven-member task force has been formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Shah’s social development adviser, Bishwo Rai.

The task force has been given 15 days to identify the disputes and long-running issues affecting the construction of the cable car to Pathibhara Temple and submit recommendations for their resolution.

The seven-member panel includes a senior divisional engineer from the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, a representative of the group opposing the cable car project and a representative from the Pathibhara Area Development Committee. It also includes a representative of the company implementing the project, an undersecretary from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and a personal joint secretary from Prime Minister Shah’s secretariat.

Locals have been opposing the construction of the cable car, arguing that it would undermine the spiritual integrity of the site revered within the local Mundhum tradition.

The project aims to build a 2.7-kilometer cable car service to the Pathibhara temple from Kaflepati in Phungling-10 of Taplejung.

Earlier in April, the government had ordered the immediate suspension of all construction activities of the project.