KHADC Seals Shillong Peak Ropeway Lower Terminal

Overview

• The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council sealed the Madan Laban lower terminal and seized equipment on Tuesday, October 27, saying the executing firm had failed to obtain a mandatory KHADC trading licence and required dorbar and Hima NOCs.
• The state government lodged an FIR on October 28 against a KHADC inspector for the seizure, asserting the land is government property and that only preparatory work for the ropeway had been carried out.
• The project is being executed by a KEC–Tantia joint venture with French ropeway specialist POMA as technical partner, and the contractors had applied to KHADC for a trading licence and been given seven to ten days to produce outstanding documents.
• Local dorbars, Hima Mylliem and environmental groups have raised specific concerns about tree felling and risks to the Umiew and Lum Shillong water catchments and have withheld or sought formal NOCs that KHADC says remain unresolved.
• Funded by the New Development Bank and the Centre’s PM-DevINE scheme, the Rs 151-crore ropeway was launched in 2024 but now faces legal and administrative delay that will determine whether state-issued clearances or KHADC licensing and customary consent rules govern on-the-ground work.