Shillong: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh has reiterated the Meghalaya government’s position on the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway Project, stating that the initiative has already received the necessary permissions and clearances and cannot be rolled back after the agreements were formally signed.
Responding to the ongoing controversy surrounding the project, Lyngdoh said the proposal had been under consideration for several decades and was not a decision taken recently. Recalling the situation during the 1980s, he said visitors heading to Shillong Peak were often required to produce identification documents, while entry gates remained closed on several occasions. The difficulties faced by tourists had prompted calls for improved access to the popular destination.
He said the proposed ropeway would significantly ease the journey for visitors, with the travel time from Terminal 1 to the viewpoint expected to be around three minutes.
Detailing the approvals obtained for the project, Lyngdoh said the government had received written preliminary consent from the local Dorbar in 2022. This was followed by the signing of a formal land lease agreement between the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun and the Tourism Department in 2023.
The project, he said, also secured NOCs from the Airports Authority of India, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. Land required for compensatory plantation was likewise transferred to the department in 2023.
Lyngdoh further highlighted that a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the parties in 2023, making it a bilateral agreement with a validity period of 30 years. He maintained that once the necessary agreements had been signed and formalised, withdrawing from the project was no longer a straightforward option.
Questioning the timing of the opposition, the minister said objections began emerging only last year, despite the project having progressed through the required procedures. He claimed that those opposing the initiative had not provided sufficient explanations beyond expressing their unwillingness to support it.
He also stressed that a project of such significance, involving coordination at the level of the Prime Minister’s Office and the President’s visit, would have undergone appropriate scrutiny. The fact that the Indian Army and Air Force had issued their clearances, he said, was also significant given the security considerations associated with the location.
Expressing concern over the potential consequences of stopping the project, Lyngdoh warned that the issue could have implications far beyond the proposed ropeway. He said reversing decisions after agreements and clearances had been secured could undermine confidence in Meghalaya as a destination for investment.
According to him, such developments could make government agencies and private investors cautious about committing to future projects in the state. He added that the existing agreement did not provide for a cooling-off period during which the parties could revisit the project’s feasibility after a few months or years.
Responding to the concerns raised by Green Tech, Lyngdoh also referred to the organisation’s earlier opposition to the Lumpongdeng Island project, where objections were reportedly centred on the construction of permanent structures.
The minister questioned the apparent difference in the objections, recalling that a boat house at the site had been leased to an individual named Michael in 2008 and had remained as a permanent structure for approximately 18 years. He asked why temporary arrangements proposed under the ropeway project were now attracting opposition.
Lyngdoh also raised questions about the public meetings referred to by the opposing group. He claimed that the documents submitted in connection with these meetings reflected limited participation and maintained that those who attended had signed the agreement.
On the environmental impact of the project, the minister cited a 2022 notification issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He said an expert committee under the ministry had recognised aerial ropeways as an environmentally friendly transportation option.
Lyngdoh maintained that the project had followed the required approval process and cautioned that any attempt to discontinue it after the execution of formal agreements could have wider repercussions for Meghalaya’s development plans and its ability to attract future investments.
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