The Meghalaya government has filed a police complaint against an inspector of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) for sealing the lower terminal site of the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway Project at Lawsohtun, even as the Tourism Department insists that the premises are government property and that no construction has begun there.
Tourism Commissioner and Secretary RM Kurbah said on October 28 that a first information report had been lodged at Laban Police Station against the individual who locked the site on Tuesday. No arrest has been made so far, and police are investigating the matter.
Kurbah clarified that the department is using the site only to set up a temporary camp required for preparatory work under the environmental and social safeguards mandated by the New Development Bank, which is funding the project. The camp will be used for soil testing, development of an approach road and ground levelling before actual construction starts. She maintained that no construction has taken place at the lower terminal or at the proposed locations of the ropeway’s six pillars, rejecting allegations that work had begun before the necessary clearances were obtained.
The department also defended the process followed for awarding the contract and securing permissions. According to Kurbah, the work order was issued to the contractor on October 25, 2025, following due procedure. The contractor subsequently obtained a no-objection certificate from the Dorbar Pyllun on May 4, 2026, before applying to the KHADC for a trading licence on May 18. It then sought another NOC from the Syiem of Hima Mylliem on July 16 and received a response on July 28.
The KHADC issued a show-cause notice on August 27, to which the contractor responded. A further NOC was obtained from the Dorbar Myntri of San Kur and 11 Kur of Riat Laban Mylliem on September 28. Kurbah added that the licensing process is still ongoing.
She also noted that the Meghalaya Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation had engaged with the concerned traditional institutions, and that consultations with the Dorbars of Raid Laban and the lower terminal area had been held in 2022, when no objections were raised.
Addressing concerns about Lum Shyllong and its water catchment, Kurbah said these were discussed at a meeting at the State Convention Centre, where the project was explained through a detailed presentation. She pointed out that Lum Shyllong is located around 3.15 km from the proposed ropeway site.
Meanwhile, opposition to the project continues. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) opposing the ropeway met the Syiem of Hima Mylliem on Wednesday, seeking the cancellation of the sanads granted to the headmen who entered into land lease arrangements for the project. The standoff between the state government and the KHADC over the sealed site has added a fresh layer of tension to the already contentious project, with the police investigation now underway.
Original Source: https://www.indiatodayne.in/meghalaya/story/meghalaya-files-fir-against-khadc-inspector-over-shillong-ropeway-site-sealing-1468850-2026-10-29?utm_source=rssfeed
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Publish Date: 2026-10-29 11:00:00
