Jharkhand Government Blacklists Cable Car Operator After Tragic Trikut Hills Incident

The Jharkhand government has blacklisted Damodar Ropeways and Infra Ltd (DRIL) for five years and fined them over Rs 9 crore following a cable car accident at Trikut Hills, Deoghar, in April 2022. The accident resulted in three deaths and left several stranded. An enquiry blamed DRIL for negligence.

The Jharkhand government has imposed a five-year blacklist on Damodar Ropeways and Infra Ltd (DRIL) and slapped a fine of Rs 9 crore, a senior official announced on Thursday.

The stringent action follows an April 2022 cable car accident at Trikut Hills in Deoghar district, which claimed three lives and stranded 60 people mid-air for 46 hours. Rescue operations were conducted by the NDRF, Army, Air Force, and local administration.

According to the state's tourism department, the 766-metre Trikut ropeway is India’s highest vertical ropeway. Allegations of negligence against DRIL have emerged from an enquiry committee set up by the Department of Tourism to investigate the accident. DRIL has denied the charges and plans to contest the decision in court, claiming the fine and blacklist are unjustified. “We are moving to court against that order. The allegations of negligence are totally false,” said DRIL Managing Director Aditya Chamaria.