Shillong: The Meghalaya government refuses to scrap the Shillong Peak ropeway project. Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh confirmed on Thursday that the state will push ahead despite rising local opposition. Officials already secured essential clearances from the Airports Authority of India, the Indian Air Force, and the Indian Army.
Lyngdoh dismissed calls to abandon the work. The deal is signed. A 30-year bilateral agreement is already in effect, following a 2023 land lease with the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun. Written permission from local authorities dates back to 2022, and the state finished transferring land for compensatory plantation that same year.
The three-minute aerial transit aims to solve access issues at the viewpoint. It circumvents the old identity checks and gate closures. Lyngdoh argued the site sits 3.15 km from the peak and cited a 2022 Union Environment Ministry notice favoring ropeways as green transport. He warned that stalling now would hurt the state's reputation with investors. The state broke the site seal on Wednesday because the land is government property.
Critics remain unconvinced. Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun leader Jied Nongkynrih slammed the recent public meeting as a sham. He pointed to a turnout of only 22 people, arguing that such low attendance failed to meet any reasonable quorum for a major project. "The limited participation raised serious doubts about how public opinion was being assessed," Nongkynrih stated.
The government maintains it is open to further discussion. Lyngdoh suggested taking critics to existing ropeway sites in Sikkim and Shimla to see the technology in action. An application for KHADC permission submitted in May is still pending.
Comments