Citizens' group demands cancellation of Shillong Peak Ropeway project

The citizens' group Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) has formally requested the Meghalaya government to scrap the proposed ₹151-crore Shillong Peak Ropeway project. In a letter addressed to the Chief Ropeways Inspector, TUR expressed vehement opposition, citing significant environmental risks and a lack of public mandate.

The group alleges that the consultation process used to secure community consent was fraudulent and lacked transparency. TUR claims that residents of Laban Pyllun, Lum Shyllong, and the broader Shillong area were neither adequately informed nor meaningfully consulted. They further noted that while the government initially claimed to have consulted the community, it later attributed the process to the Meghalaya Institute of Governance and local Dorbar Shnongs, despite reports that only a small number of people attended the sessions.

Aligning with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against Shillong Ropeway, TUR argues that bypassing grassroots democratic participation to implement commercial infrastructure violates community trust and democratic norms. The group has previously issued ultimatums to the state government to withdraw the project.