A judge in Brazil has blocked a project to build a zipline connecting the famous Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro to a nearby hill, Morro da Urca.
The attraction's developer said it would allow visitors to descend from Sugarloaf Mountain at speeds of almost 100km/h (62mph) via four ziplines covering a distance of 755m (0.47 miles).
The project - which started four years ago - had triggered protests from locals and environmentalists, who argued that the construction work was causing irreparable damage to the Unesco World Heritage Site.
The developer is expected to appeal against the decision. Gricel Osorio Hor-Meyll, one of the activists who had led the campaign against the zipline, stated that the ruling was a huge victory.
Those opposed to the attraction argued that in order to build the platforms needed to access the zipline, the rock on top of Sugarloaf Mountain would have to be excavated. However, the company managing the site assured that excavation would be kept to a minimum by using areas with existing construction.
Despite having gained approval from Rio City Council and the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN), the project's future is now uncertain. The judge ordered damages of 30 million reals ($5.77 million), underlining the site's invaluable worth.
The project's developers had previously stated that construction was already 95% complete. However, after Tuesday's ruling, the legal battle is expected to continue.
