Ropeway brings cheers to farmers in Rukum (East)

Farmers at Bhume rural municipality ward no 4 and 8 in Rukum (East) are elated with the operation of a ropeway in their locality in recent times. This transport facility is considerably facilitating the farmers in getting markets for their domestic produce.

The 1,144 metres- ropeway installed and operated by the Gravity Goods Ropeway in these two wards ferry vegetables and fruits to and fro in no time. Dhan Bahadur Budha, a farmer of Kuchibang, recalled that earlier it would take them some three to four hours of walk to reach Kandabagar from Kuchibang with their produce.

"With the operation of the ropeway, it just takes two minutes on average," he gushed. The ropeway has saved their time and brought convenience for the people of the villages that do not have roads yet.

Road track has been opened in Kuchibang recently. However, vehicles do not ply the track, bemoaned Budha. Khabang, Rukumkot among others were the nearest market for the produce grown in these areas.

Jhalak Roka, another farmer from Kuchibang, admitted that he had not considered vegetable farming given the inconvenience they had been facing in reaching the marketplaces. But, due to the operation of the ropeway, he admitted that many farmers like him have taken up commercial farming of vegetables such as cabbages, carrot and cucumber, among others.

Kuchibang has favourable soil for vegetable farming, especially the above-mentioned vegetables.

Farmers of 242 households at Kuching, Maibang, Jhumka and Handi among others places have been hugely benefited with the ropeway, according to Dilli Budhachettri, a local accountant.

Apart from farmers, the ropeway has been a great assistance for other purposes such as transporting food items related to the mid-day snacks for schools, admitted Budhachettri.

The ropeway measures spanning from Kuchibang to Kandabagar was built with the financial assistance of the UK Aid and other social organisations. The UK Aid provided over Rs 4.3 million and remaining Rs 500,000 was collected through locals as a labour donation, informed Hom Prakash Shrestha, chairperson of the Bhume rural municipality.

Plan is afoot to make Kuchibang a model agricultural village with the operation of the ropeway facilitating the farmers for their agricultural produce, according to Shrestha.