The Meghalaya government has maintained its support for the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway project despite growing opposition from local residents and members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), who are demanding its cancellation or relocation over environmental concerns.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on November 12 rejected the demand to scrap or relocate the project, maintaining that the government had completed the necessary technical examinations, site inspections and regulatory procedures.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Prestone Tynsong rejected demands to scrap or relocate the Shillong Peak Ropeway.
JAC members marched to the Meghalaya Secretariat on November 12.
Protesters raised concerns about forest cover and local water sources.
The government said technical assessments and regulatory procedures had been completed.
The Tourism Department cited environmental studies and design modifications intended to minimise ecological impact.
The JAC continues to oppose the proposed alignment near Riat Laban.
His remarks followed a protest march by JAC members and other residents to the Meghalaya Secretariat, where demonstrators demanded that the government reconsider the proposed ropeway alignment.
Tynsong said the government had already held three to four rounds of discussions with concerned groups and remained willing to hold further meetings to explain the project's technical aspects.
He questioned the decision to take the protest to the Secretariat, saying that the concerns should be addressed through discussions. He also maintained that the project was intended for the benefit of Meghalaya and not for the personal interests of political leaders.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The dispute highlights the challenge of balancing tourism development with environmental protection and water security. The outcome could affect public confidence in infrastructure planning around ecologically sensitive areas of Meghalaya.
Rejecting concerns that the ropeway could damage forest cover and cause local water bodies to dry up, Tynsong described the project as environmentally compatible infrastructure. He said experts had inspected the site and submitted their findings before the government proceeded with the project.
The JAC, however, continues to oppose the proposed alignment, particularly the lower terminal at Riat Laban near the Lum Shyllong area. The committee has expressed concern that construction activities and tree felling could affect natural water sources and the wider catchment area.
JAC president Deborah Marbaniang has also alleged that more than 500 trees were felled for the project and claimed that a local water source had dried up following the tree cutting. These claims remain allegations by the protesting group.
The Meghalaya Tourism Department has defended the project by citing changes to its design intended to minimise environmental disturbance. According to the department, the ropeway cables and passenger cabins are designed to pass above the forest canopy, reducing the need for extensive tree cutting.
The department has also cited an Environment and Social Impact Assessment, reviews by independent experts, a camera-trap study conducted in consultation with the Forest Department and a proposed environmental management plan.
On water security, the department has maintained that mapped natural springs are located away from the proposed alignment and that the support towers are planned on a ridge.
The proposed ropeway will connect Madan Laban, also referred to as Riat Laban, with the Shillong Peak viewpoint. The approximately 913-metre project is being implemented through the Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority under the state Tourism Department.
The disagreement has brought tourism infrastructure development and environmental protection into focus in Shillong. While the government maintains that technical assessments and safeguards support the project, the JAC continues to seek its cancellation or relocation.
