Correspondent
SHILLONG, JUL 28: The Meghalaya government on Tuesday said that the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway Cable Car project is being implemented with full statutory approvals and strict environmental and community safeguards, following concerns raised by a group of citizens, mostly led by women.
In a statement, the Joint Chief Executive Officer of Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority (MRDA) reiterated government’s commitment to balancing development with environmental conservation.
The MRDA assured that the government will
continue to engage with stakeholders in a transparent and responsible manner throughout the implementation of the project.
“Protecting Meghalaya’s natural heritage while creating sustainable opportunities for its people continues to remain a guiding principle of the government’s tourism development strategy,” the MRDA assured. On Monday, a group of citizens, mostly women, visited the ropeway site at Riat Laban and expressed their resentment over the destruction of the area after seeing trees being felled to facilitate the project.
The residents feared that the ropeway project would affect local drinking water sources and cause severe environmental damage from large-scale tree felling.
However, the MRDA said that the project has been taken up only after obtaining all permissions relating to environmental safeguards, following national laws and international best practices.
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved the diversion of 2.3257 hectares of forest land to the Forest Department for Compensatory Tree Plantation in compliance with the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 for diversion of forest land.
Permission to fell 544 trees was also obtained after they were duly marked for the Rs. 151 crore Shillong Peak Ropeway Cable Car project which is funded by the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) Scheme.
Out of the Rs. 151 crores, the NDB is funding Rs. 80.89 crore and and the remaining Rs. 70.11 Crore by the DoNER ministry, the MRDA said, adding that the construction work began on October 15, 2025, following National and International Safeguard Standards (Environment & Social).
The project has also received no-objection certificates from the Airports Authority of India, the Indian Air Force, and the Indian Army.
The Shillong Peak Ropeway Cable Car will be 896 m long and will have lower and upper terminal points, 13 cabins and has been designed as per CEN (European) standards.
“The project will not only improve tourists’ commuting experience, but will also contribute to increased employment and livelihood opportunities for the local community,” the MRDA said.
Moreover, they said the project will also result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) through the replacement of road travel by the ropeway.
The project has been developed by the Tourism Department in partnership with the Rait Laban Dorbar Pyllun, which has agreed to lease the land for the project.