Man who brought first cable car to Himachal dies at 76

Tribune News Service

Solan, February 1

Ramesh Garg (76), who is known for bringing the first cable car in the state at the picturesque Timber Trail Resort at Parwanoo, died of a liver aliment at a private hospital at Kochi in Kerala this morning.

His body was being brought to Parwanoo and the cremation would take place tomorrow. He is survived by his wife, son and three daughters.

Garg’s death was mourned by a large number of locals, including those who had been associated with him ever since he set up his first 10-room tourism venture, Timber Trail, near Parwanoo in December 1982. He later added to it the state’s first cable car in the form of Timber Trail Heights in April 1988 located at a height of about 5,200 feet above the sea level. The cable car paved the way for developing tourism in the district, which hitherto had little to boast of despite being the gateway to Himachal.

Garg was initially into timber business in early 1970s and it was a visit to the Middle East that the idea of setting up a cable car occurred to him. It was later upgraded to Moksha Himalaya Spa Resorts.

Located on the Kalka-Shimla highway, the resort has not only become a major landmark but is also a popular haunt of tourists wishing to take a ride on the cable car amidst deep ravines and lofty mountains. People were seen discussing their association with Garg, who brought Parwanoo on the international tourism map with his hard work and visionary ideas.