SHILLONG : Former Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh has defended the Shillong Peak Ropeway project amid renewed concerns over tree felling and its environmental impact, maintaining that the project has received the required clearances and followed the prescribed procedures.
Lyngdoh, who held the Tourism portfolio when the project was approved, questioned whether the project could have reached the foundation stage without meeting the necessary environmental and procedural requirements.
“No less personality than the President of India had come to lay the foundation stone of the ropeway project. Do you think somebody occupying that high office would compromise the integrity of that office by randomly attending a programme without ensuring whether the basic SOPs have been followed and environmental clearances have been obtained?” he said.
President Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone for the Shillong Peak Ropeway during her visit to Meghalaya in January 2024. The project has since faced criticism over tree felling in the Shillong Peak area. The Meghalaya Government disclosed earlier this month that around 545 trees had been felled for the project, while officials maintained that the work was undertaken after the necessary statutory clearances.
Tourism officials have also said the original design was modified after an assessment showed that trees of around 25 metres could be affected. The height of the cable and towers was subsequently increased, with the revised design providing around 40 metres of clearance.
Lyngdoh pointed to ropeway systems already operating in other hill stations, including Uttarakhand, while arguing that such projects can coexist with forested hill environments.
“Is it possible that you will have hill stations with no trees? Where on earth would you find hill stations that have no trees at all?” he remarked.
He further highlighted the technology behind the Shillong project, saying its design has been based on ropeway systems operating in the Swiss Alps.
“The project has been created and modeled on the Swiss model,” he said. He explained that the ropeway has been designed using technology similar to systems operating in the Swiss Alps, which he described as a high-standard model for the Shillong project.
On the tree-cutting issue, he maintained that clearing has been restricted to areas needed for the ropeway towers, base and terminal structures. He rejected claims that the project would result in wider clearing or denude the Shillong Peak forest.
The controversy has also reached the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, where Opposition Leader Mukul Sangma sought details of the environmental studies and clearances for the project, including assessments concerning wildlife, flora, fauna and biodiversity. The project involves forest land in the Upper Shillong area.
Earlier environmental documents submitted for the project had identified forest diversion and tree cutting among the issues requiring consideration during its design and implementation. The government has maintained that the ropeway alignment avoids important water sources.
During a site inspection in August, Tourism officials said the project had been kept away from the main catchment and that the Patakhana and Wahingdoh water sources would not be affected. Officials have also said compensatory plantation is being undertaken for the trees removed.
Lyngdoh questioned the timing of the renewed opposition, pointing out that the project was sanctioned several years ago and construction had already begun.
The Shillong Ropeway is planned to connect Madan Laban with Shillong Viewpoint and has been presented by the government as both a tourism project and an alternative urban transport system.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.
