Shillong, November 5: The Meghalaya government is willing to take stakeholders opposing the Shillong Ropeway Project, including members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), to Sikkim and Shimla to study how ropeway systems operate in hill stations, Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh said on Thursday. Lyngdoh said the government remains open to further engagement with stakeholders despite the continuing opposition to the project. “We are willing to engage further with these stakeholders by taking them to sites like Sikkim and Shimla, where we have ropeway projects amid hill stations,” he said.
However, the Tourism Minister maintained that the appropriate time for raising objections had long passed, drawing an analogy with a marriage ceremony. “There is a time, you know, when people get married, the pastor or the priest asks whether you have anything to say now or you keep your mouth shut forever. He will not say, if you have any complaint about this man, the bride and the groom, come back to me in four years’ time. No priest will say that,” Lyngdoh remarked.
Responding to suggestions that the government should relocate the project to Sohra or other areas where there is public support, Lyngdoh said shifting a ropeway project was not a simple exercise. “See, this is not a cut-and-paste job, like you normally would do on your computer,” he said.
He explained that soil conditions, technical requirements and statutory clearances vary from one location to another, making relocation a complex process. “The soil condition of this particular site will be different from the soil condition elsewhere. Clearances by the Defence Ministry might not be required elsewhere. A lot of things will change,” he said.
Defending the proposed ropeway, Lyngdoh said the project would enhance Shillong’s appeal as a tourist destination by offering visitors a new experience beyond conventional sightseeing. He questioned the opposition to tourism infrastructure from those who have also criticised the growing number of low-spending tourists visiting the state. “The same people who complain about so-called ‘maggie tourists’ are also the same people complaining about ropeway projects. How does that work out? You can’t complain about one and complain about the other,” he said.
Emphasising the government’s vision of promoting high-value, low-volume tourism, Lyngdoh said Meghalaya must develop attractions and facilities that encourage visitors to spend more while enjoying a better tourism experience. “You talk about high-value, low-volume tourism. How do you add value to tourism? If you have a ropeway, you will have people enjoying that experience. So, tourism itself becomes experiential. It is not that you just visit waterfalls,” he said.
The Minister also dismissed arguments questioning the need for five-star hotels in a state already blessed with natural attractions. “Somebody has also asked, why do you need five-star hotels when you have good waterfalls? You can’t expect guests from outside to bring their own tents and stay near waterfalls. They have to have an elevated, enhanced experience of tourism,” he said.
Meanwhile, addressing the controversy surrounding the trading licence required from the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), Lyngdoh confirmed that the company executing the project had submitted its application on May 18, 2026, and that it remains under process. “Where government-owned projects are concerned, it is always taken that it is a formality that the government seeks a licence,” he said.
On the state government’s decision to break open the lock placed on the construction company’s office on Wednesday, Lyngdoh maintained that the property belongs to the Government of Meghalaya under the Forest Department.
Asked whether the company was required to obtain a trading licence, the Minister clarified that the requirement remained applicable and expressed confidence that the necessary approval would be secured. “They do, they have applied, and we expect that the licence will come too shortly. As of now, only preliminary work has started at the site, but we are confident that we will obtain the licence,” he said.
On whether the government would take further steps to resolve the dispute with the KHADC, Lyngdoh indicated that the matter should first be addressed at the administrative level. “Let us take it one step at a time. If it can be sorted out at the level of the Director, so be it,” he added.
