Chikkaballapur: A long-anticipated dream to soar above the slopes of Nandi Hills is inching closer to reality, with the district administration initiating the land acquisition process for the ambitious ropeway project.It has issued a notification to acquire approximately four acres of land required to construct the ropeway’s lower terminal and corridor. This follows the earlier transfer of two acres from the horticulture department to the tourism department to set up the upper terminal atop the popular hill station.The latest notification, dated May 12, pertains to land acquisition at Madaku Hosahalli village, near the Kanive Basaveshwara Swamy temple, at the foothills of Nandi Hills. This area will serve as the ropeway’s lower terminal point, featuring parking facilities for over 200 cars, 100 two-wheelers, and multiple buses. A waiting area designed to accommodate more than 500 people will also be developed at the base terminal.According to the notification, 281 square metres—or approximately three guntas—of land is earmarked for the lower terminal. An additional three acres and 32 guntas will be acquired in the same village to construct the ropeway corridor that will run up the hill.In a firm directive, the district administration warned against any attempts to obstruct the acquisition process. “The public should not create any trouble for the govt officials, including surveyors, during their job of acquiring the land,” the notification stated, adding that legal action would be taken against anyone who interferes in the process. Landowners have been barred from conducting any transactions—such as selling, leasing, or transferring ownership—on the notified land, and a 60-day window has been provided for filing objections with the assistant commissioner of the Chikkaballapur subdivision.“The process to acquire necessary land parcels for implementing the Nandi Hills ropeway project has started. We have already received clearance for the project from the forest department and will start the project soon,” Chikkaballapur deputy commissioner PN Ravindra said.The ropeway, a 2.9-km aerial journey infrastructure, will be constructed in a public-private partnership under the DBFOT (design, build, finance, operate, and transfer) model. A private firm will take up the Rs 93.4 crore project and operate it for 30 years.The project has seen several delays since its original commencement date in 2022. Among the hurdles were land acquisition and forest department clearances, which are now resolved. Recently, district in-charge minister MC Sudhakar and a team of senior officials visited the hill station and its base to inspect and accelerate the implementation process.As Nandi Hills draws thousands of visitors every weekend, the ropeway is expected to revolutionise the tourist experience by reducing traffic congestion, shortening travel time, and offering a scenic aerial ride over the terrain.