It’s still quiet: Two cable car cabins are currently floating leisurely from Weggis in the direction of Rigi Kaltbad and back again. But the facility is getting on in years, and its permit expires in 2027.
They want to replace the Rigi Bahnen with a gondola lift with 21 cabins. The new cable car can transport 800 people per hour, and the capacity can even be doubled if necessary.
But the huge project is a thorn in the side of many residents. Nature conservation organizations such as Pro Natura and the WWF are also opposed to this. In the postcard idyll, a veritable guerrilla war ensues. Actually, the project would have been voted on in May. But as “Pilatus Today” now reports, the vote has to be postponed. The reason: too many objections!
Expansion theater on the Rigi slope: That’s why René Stettler is fighting against the new Rigi-Bahn(00:50)
Forest for new railway must be cleared
As the online portal writes, a total of 14 objections to the project have been received. The municipality of Weggis must now deal with this in the next few weeks. The objections are not only numerous, but also complex, as stated in a press release from the community. The next date for voting is probably September or November 2022.
The main criticism of the objections is that part of the protective forest would have to be cleared for the new cable car – the trees would have to give way to a cable car corridor. The opponents fear that clearly visible protective structures would have to be used as a replacement.
Despite the strong headwind, Rigi Bahnen AG is confident of being able to complete the project. CEO Frederic Füssenich (47) said to Blick last week: “The Federal Commission for Nature and Heritage has classified our project as approvable. That confirms our plans. We live in a democracy, resistance is part of every big project. » (bra)