The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has temporarily halted progress on the Rs 153-crore Shillong Ropeway Project, directing the companies executing the work to establish within seven days that they have the required legal authority to operate within the Council’s jurisdiction.
The decision followed a meeting on Monday between KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Winston Tony Lyngdoh and members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against the Shillong Ropeway Project.
The JAC, representing the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun, has been opposing the project over concerns about its possible impact on the Lum Shyllong catchment, which serves as an important source of water for a large part of Shillong.
Lyngdoh said the Council’s enforcement wing inspected the project site on July 28 and found that the work was being carried out by a joint venture involving KEC International Ltd and Kolkata-based Tantia Construction Ltd.
However, according to the CEM, the companies were unable to immediately produce the mandatory trading licence required to operate in areas falling under the Sixth Schedule.
The enforcement team has now given the project manager seven days to submit all relevant documents. The Council will determine whether the companies are legally required to obtain a trading licence from the KHADC, Lyngdoh said.
He warned that failure to comply within the stipulated period would prompt the Council’s enforcement wing to take further action.
The development comes as the KHADC begins examining the legal and land-use aspects of the ropeway project, despite the Tourism Department maintaining that the project would have minimal environmental impact.
Lyngdoh also said the Council would seek clarification from the Hima Mylliem over reports of tree felling in the project area.
If the forest area falls under the Council’s jurisdiction, its forest officials will be asked to investigate the matter, he said, adding that the Council would take action within its legal powers after establishing the facts.
The JAC has described the ropeway project as a potential threat to Shillong’s water security.
Following the meeting with the CEM, JAC chairperson Deborah Marbaniang alleged that the consultation process surrounding the project lacked transparency. She claimed that many residents under the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun were unaware of any public hearings.
The committee has demanded that the Tourism Department and the concerned Dorbar make all records related to the consultation process public, including notices and attendance registers.
Marbaniang said the issue extends beyond Riat Laban because the water sources originating from Lum Shyllong serve residents across areas such as Malki, Mawprem, Jaiaw and Riatsamthiah.
She warned that any damage to the catchment could have long-term consequences for the city’s water supply and potentially create permanent shortages for future generations.
JAC member Olivia Lyngdoh Mawlong said residents became aware of the scale of the proposed development only after trees began to be cleared on the hill.
She rejected the suggestion that the opposition to the project was anti-development, arguing that infrastructure development should not come at the expense of vital natural resources.
The JAC has already approached Laban-Mawprem MDC Ricky AJ Shullai seeking his intervention. It has also contacted South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai to ascertain his position on the project.
The dispute now centres on the project’s legal permissions, environmental implications, consultation process and, most importantly, the protection of Lum Shyllong’s catchment and Shillong’s long-term water security.
