Shillong: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) froze work on the Rs 153-crore Shillong Ropeway Project. Officials issued a seven-day ultimatum to the firms involved. They must prove their legal right to operate within Council jurisdiction. Failure to comply will trigger immediate enforcement action.
The standoff follows an August 3 briefing between KHADC Chief Executive Member Winston Tony Lyngdoh and the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against the Shillong Ropeway Project. The project, managed by a joint venture between KEC International Ltd and Kolkata-based Tantia Construction Ltd, faces intense scrutiny. Council inspectors visited the site on July 28. They found the firms lacked the mandatory trading license required for operations in the Sixth Schedule area.
“The enforcement team has given the manager seven days to produce all relevant documents. We need to determine whether the company is required to obtain a trading license from the Council,” Lyngdoh said. The KHADC is also questioning Hima Mylliem over reports of unauthorized tree felling in the Lum Shyllong catchment area.
This zone serves as the primary water source for half of Shillong. Residents across Malki, Mawprem, Jaiaw, and Riatsamthiah rely on it. JAC Chairperson Deborah Marbaniang claims the project threatens long-term water security. Committee members allege that the public was kept in the dark about the development. They want the Tourism Department to release all consultation records, notices, and attendance registers.
JAC member Olivia Lyngdoh Mawlong stated that residents only realized the project's scale after seeing trees cleared on the hill. The committee has enlisted Laban-Mawprem MDC Ricky AJ Shullai and reached out to South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai for support. While the state Tourism Department claims the project causes minimal environmental impact, the KHADC is now reviewing land use legality. The Council will deploy its forest officials if the clearing occurred on protected land.
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