Shillong: The Rs 151-crore Shillong Peak Ropeway faces a legitimacy crisis. Traditional authorities are demanding proof of clan consent before construction continues. The Office of the Acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem has ordered the Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority to provide a No Objection Certificate from the 11 Kur of Raid Mylliem. They also require records of public hearings and local resident resolutions.
Acting Syiem Alban Fedrick Syiem stated, "It is important that the views of all stakeholders, especially the traditional institutions and clans, are properly documented before any approval is granted."
The project, which began in October 2023, aims to move 600 passengers hourly using French POMA technology. It features 13 eight-seater cabins spanning an 896-metre alignment. Funding comes from the New Development Bank, providing Rs 80.89 crore, and the PM-DevINE scheme, providing Rs 70.11 crore.
Environmentalists remain on high alert. The Joint Action Committee Against the Shillong Ropeway Project warns that the alignment destroys the Lum Shyllong water catchment. Official data shows a 68 percent increase in tree felling from original estimates. RITES Ltd initially expected 324 trees to be lost, but the Forest department has authorized the removal of 544 trees. The authority secured a forest clearance for 2.32 hectares in 2024 but bypassed a formal Environmental Clearance, citing a legal loophole in the 2006 EIA Notification.
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