Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India] September 15 (ANI): Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), the flagship company of the Adani Group, on Monday said it has received a Letter of Award (LoA) from the National Highways Logistics Management Ltd (NHLML) to develop the ropeway project between Sonprayag and Kedarnath in Uttarakhand.

It will invest Rs 4,081 crore in the project, to be executed by AEL’s Roads, Metro, Rail and Water (RMRW) division. The 12.9 km ropeway is expected to transform one of India’s most challenging pilgrimages by reducing the journey time from the current 8 to 9-hour trek to just 36 minutes, the company said in a release.

Once completed, the ropeway will be capable of carrying 1,800 passengers per hour per direction, easing the arduous journey for lakhs of devotees visiting the Kedarnath shrine every year. Kedarnath attracts around 20 lakh pilgrims annually, and the new ropeway is projected to not only make the travel safer and faster but also improve the overall pilgrim experience.

The project falls under the Government of India’s National Ropeways Development Programme, ‘Parvatmala and will be developed on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode on a revenue-share basis with NHLML. According to the company, construction is estimated to take six years, after which AEL will operate the ropeway for 29 years.

“The Kedarnath ropeway is more than an engineering project – it is a bridge between devotion and modern infrastructure,” said Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, as per the release.

The release further stated, “By making this sacred journey safer, faster and more accessible, we honour the faith of millions while creating new opportunities for Uttarakhand’s people through our partnership with NHLML and the Government of Uttarakhand. This prestigious project reflects our commitment to building infrastructure that not only serves the nation but also uplifts its people.”

Apart from providing improved connectivity, the project is expected to generate direct and indirect employment opportunities and significantly boost tourism in the region.

He further noted that the project reflects Adani Group’s commitment to building infrastructure that not only strengthens the nation but also uplifts communities.

Adani Enterprises, which entered the roads and highways sector in 2018, has steadily expanded its portfolio under the RMRW division. Currently, it has 14 projects across Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), and Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) modes, covering more than 5,000 lane kilometres.

The Kedarnath ropeway project is being viewed as a landmark step that will combine technological expertise with spiritual significance, providing pilgrims with a safer and more comfortable passage while opening up new economic avenues for the state of Uttarakhand. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)

Indians are spending big on travel. An survey by Thomas Cook (India) and group company SOTC Travel published earlier this year saw 85% of respondents mentioning their plan to travel more frequently in 2025, doubling or tripling the number of holidays they take. The survey also showed 84% tourists intending to increase their travel budget by 20–50%, with around 18% planning a significant rise. But it’s not just travel, but how they travel that’s also undergoing sea change. 

According to industry experts, Indian consumers are spending more on experiences than possessions. The narrative is no longer about luxury versus value – it is about luxury and value, coexisting, colliding, and reshaping the contours of India’s hospitality and aviation economy.

According to experts, India’s luxury hotel market touched an estimated ₹72,000 crore in 2024 and is projected to grow at a brisk 14% CAGR through 2030. At the same time, mid-market and independent accommodations still account for nearly 58% of the hospitality share, supported by a surging middle class and Gen Z road-trippers seeking “value-plus” experiences. “It’s not a binary choice between Oberoi and a budget lodge, it’s coexistence,” observes Sahil Pandita, CEO and Founder, Promiller Group.

Luxury As Lifestyle: Personalisation Beyond Price

Luxury travel is also witnessing a signficant change. The affluent traveller no longer equates luxury to chandeliers and marble lobbies; it is measured in time saved, privacy assured, and experiences tailored to the individual. “Luxury travel today is no longer just about opulence or extravagance; it’s about crafting experiences that are seamless, personal, and entirely tailored to the traveller’s lifestyle,” says Justinas Bulka, CEO of KlasJet. The appetite for curated indulgence, from private aviation with flexible schedules to hotels that anticipate needs before they are expressed, has created a market where “the ultimate indulgence is a journey that respects both comfort and efficiency.” 

Increasingly, travellers are refusing to accept a trade-off between indulgence and conscience. Sustainability, once a peripheral demand, has become central to the definition of “premium.” “We are observing that today’s traveller is no longer choosing between luxury and value, they want both in a meaningful way,” says Suprabhath Roy Chowdhury, General Manager, voco Jim Corbett.

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Value Travel: Key Factor Behind India’s Travel Boom

While luxury travel is getting redefined, value travel remains the core of India’s travel industry. According to Pandita, “Middle-class and Gen Z travellers are flying regionally, road-tripping, and choosing unique, independent stays, not just big brands.” In fact, independent hotels continue to dominate share even as chains expand, signalling that travellers still seek discovery, local flavour, and affordability. This is not about compromise; it’s about maximising value in ways that enrich the experience.

The first access-controlled expressway is going to be ready in Bihar soon, which will bring significant changes in the traffic system of the state. The Amas-Darbhanga Expressway is being constructed under the Bharatmala Project, which will make regional travel more smooth.

This expressway is currently being built from Aurangabad to Darbhanga, which connects seven districts. This route will also improve regional connectivity by connecting three major airports of Patna, Gaya and Darbhanga.

The project is progressing rapidly in Bihar and its new completion time has been set as 2025, while earlier it was targeted to be completed by July 2024. The expressway will start from Amas in Aurangabad district, which is located on Delhi-Kolkata National Highway 19 (NH-19), and will extend to Nawada village in Darbhanga district, which is on National Highway 27 (NH-27). Its route will include a total of seven districts including Arwal, Jehanabad, Patna, Vaishali and Samastipur.

Vehicles will be allowed to travel at a speed of 100 kmph on this expressway. This four-lane and 200 feet wide road is being built at a cost of about Rs 5,000 crore.

The biggest benefit of this will be the reduction in distance, due to which the distance between Samastipur and Patna will be reduced from 100 km to only 65 km. This expressway will open a new route for development and better connectivity of Bihar, which will save both time and money of the passengers.

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