A corner of Son Doong, the world's biggest cave. The cable-car system will not pass through the cave as many people had thought. — Photo baotintuc.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Authorities in the central province of Quang Binh on November 4 issued clarifications about the construction of the Phong Nha–Ke bang cable-car system.

The public opinion had been that the 10.6km cable-car system project will have four routes and also pass through the world's biggest cave, Son Doong.

However, Chairman of provincial People's Committee Nguyen Huu Hoai said that the project is being surveyed and will have two routes. The first route is from Phong Nha Cave's gate to Tra Ang Bridge, and the second from the Tra Ang Bridge to a point near Song Doong Cave's last gate.

The two routes will be at a height of 50m to 250m from the ground and will not pass through the Son Doong Cave as many people had thought.

Hoai said the province has asked the Ministry of Construction to plan the cable-car project. When it completes enough groundwork and gets the agreement of the relevant sectors, the province will seek the approval of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, relevant ministries and UNESCO.

If the project is approved, the province will start the investment process. But if it is not approved, the province will follow the domestic and international regulations, said Hoai.

General Director of the investor, the Sun Group, Dang Minh Truong said that his company has hired leading experts involved with cable-car systems from countries such as Switzerland, Australia and Austria to study the project.

The project, which will be located in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park -- a UNESCO world heritage site that includes the cave-- will have about 30 pillars, each of nearly 10sqm and installed with a 360-degree camera to survey and watch the work of protecting and preventing fires in the heritage area.

Peter Vogelmann, director of Dollelmayr Southeast Asia, said that his company has surveyed the area nine times. The company will suggest the best method to build and operate the cable-car system so that it does not affect the world heritage site's environment.

He added that there are 86 cable-car projects operating in national parks that are also world heritage sites. For example, China has 29 and Canada has six such projects.

More than 1,000 local residents are expected to get jobs here, said Hoai.

"We, the officials, and the local residents respect regulations. The investing agencies will have to ensure conservation," said Hoai. — VNS