The Himachal Pradesh Government has urged the Centre to reduce the GST rate from 18 to 5 per cent by adding a specific entry related to ropeways and other unconventional modes of transportation in the category of services covered under 5 per cent GST.

In a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur apprised her that Himachal had taken a decision to use the concept of ropeways for transportation of passengers and goods throughout the state.

Thakur said the government had created Ropeways and Rapid Transportation System Development Corporation (RTDC) as a single nodal agency for the construction of ropeways and other mass rapid transportation systems. Therefore, the ropeways would not act merely as the tourist attraction but also help in providing sustainable means of transport in rural areas.