The cableway should boost tourism in the Chinese border city Heihe. Photo: Adobe Stock

The installation should have actually been launched already at the beginning of 2018. “However, the previous investor turned out to be financially weak and unable to complete the construction works,” explains Vasily Orlov, Governor of the Russian province Amur Oblast. But the new investor, Region Group of Companies, had already worked on the project concept and is now making construction and planning decisions.

According to the investors’ plans, the cableway is to be similar to the numerous installa- tions in Sochi built for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Its twelve cabins should be able to transport 2,000 persons per hour. Transport of luggage and goods should be possible, too. The 750-meter-long ride across the river will take ve to six minutes.

The investors expect up to six million passengers per year. According to a Russian government statement, in addition to the cableway as such, the project includes also two stations, supporting structures, equipment and auxiliary facilities. Governor Orlov promised the investor his full support. Roads to the stations, as well as energy supply, will be ready in time, too.

Boosting tourism

The construction of this crossborder cableway aims primarily on stimulating tourism in the region and enabling quick passage across the Russian-Chinese border. According to the newspaper “Siberian Times”, the cableway will become the central element of both cities’ joint tourist zone. Hotels, entertainment complexes, shopping centers and recreation areas are planned on both banks of the river Amur under the name “the Golden Mile”.

Russia hopes the cableway will bring more investment to the economically weak eastern part of the country and boost trade in the region. China sees the planned installation as a “cableway of peace” and a gateway to the Russian-European culture environment. ts