India’s Auli To Become “Global Winter Sports Destination”

The long-established Indian ski area at Auli is to be redeveloped into a “global winter sports destination” according to reports from the region.

The announcement was made by the local Uttarakhand region’s Chief Secretary SS Sandhu who said that “…the master plan is almost in its final stage.”

Auli, known for its stunning natural beauty, is located in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, in the Indian Himalayas in the far north of the country.

Currently the ski area is operated by the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (GMVNL), a state government agency and existing facilities include a 4 kilometre (2.5 mi) long gondola lift, a chairlift and a drag lift.

Chief Secretary Sandhu said the government wanted to press on with the plan as soon as possible but cautioned there might be, “some issues in the implementation of the plan and land acquisition.”

The government is reported to be consulting the Army, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the state tourism department to try to get around any such issues.