Dharamsala, June 22 (IANS): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday laid the foundation stone of a Rs.200 crore ropeway project to link the Chamunda temple near here with the ancient hilltop shrine of Aadi Himani Chamunda, a minister said.

The state department of tourism and civil aviation will commission the project.

Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma told reporters here that it would take just 18 minutes to travel between the two points, with two stoppages, on the ropeway route.

He said the ropeway components, including drive gears and cabins, would be imported.

"The ropeway would help promote tourism in the region," he added.

Officials said the six kilometre ropeway will have a carrying capacity of up to 1,200 people per hour each way.

Last year, the state allowed a private operator to ply a heli-taxi to the Aadi Himani Chamunda daily. But since it was too expensive for most devotees, most of them preferred to trek to the Aadi Himani Chamunda shrine.

The devotees reach the shrine after an uphill trek in the Dhauladhar mountain range.