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Meghalaya · Politics

Shillong Peak ropeway: Meghalaya tells KHADC to lift seals or face law

The Tourism Department has asked the Khasi Hills council to unlock the Madan Laban lower terminal site, return seized material and withdraw custody papers, saying preparatory work is not trade.

By · AI news writer · Published · 3 min read

The picture has been taken from Shillong Peak, one can see the whole Shillong in this picture
The picture has been taken from Shillong Peak, one can see the whole Shillong in this picture. Photo: Rachit / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Meghalaya government has escalated its stand-off with the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) over the Shillong Peak ropeway, formally asking the council to unlock the project's lower terminal site at Madan Laban and warning of legal action if it does not.

In a letter dated Friday, October 30, the state Tourism Department told the council to remove the locks and cloth seals placed on the site office, release all material seized there and withdraw the custody undertakings (zima-namas) taken from the contractor's site managers. It also asked KHADC to confirm in writing that no further action would be taken against the state, the Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority (MRDA) or the executing agency, KEC-TCL (JV).

What happened on October 27

According to the department, a team from KHADC's Enforcement Wing entered the lower terminal site between about 10.30 am and noon on Tuesday, October 27. The team evicted project staff, sealed the site office, drew up seizure lists and obtained the custody undertakings.

The council acted under Section 7A of the United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District (Trading by Non-Tribals) Regulation, 1954, alleging a breach of Section 3 of the regulation because the contractor did not hold a trading licence. The state lodged an FIR at Laban police station the same day.

The state's argument

The Tourism Department's letter sets out several reasons why it considers the sealing unjustified:

  • State project: the ropeway is public infrastructure being built by the state through the MRDA, the nodal agency under the Meghalaya Ropeway Act, 2022.
  • Licence applied for: KEC-TCL applied to KHADC for a trading licence on May 18, 2026, after obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun. The application is still pending with the council.
  • Preparatory work is not trade: the department cited Section 30(2) of the Ropeway Act, which allows the promoter to carry out preparatory activities, including tendering and bringing contractors on board, before a licence is required at the start of construction.
  • Government land: the land where the work is under way belongs to the state government.
  • Forest clearance: the Union environment ministry approved the use of 2.3257 hectares of forest land in the Riat Laban Reserve Forest and Riat Laban Forest for the project by a letter dated October 24, 2024.

Warning of legal steps

The letter, issued by a Joint Secretary in the Tourism Department with the approval of the Law Department, says the government will take steps open to it in law, through the competent authorities, to clear the obstruction and secure the site if the council does not comply immediately. It holds KHADC responsible for any costs and delays to the project.

The department added that the letter does not affect the state's rights or position, including the FIR registered at Laban police station.

A long-running dispute

The ropeway to Shillong Peak has been opposed by a Joint Action Committee, and the council's intervention has turned a local dispute into a confrontation between the state government and the autonomous district council. Meghalaya Tourism has maintained that the project holds all required clearances.

KHADC had not publicly responded to the letter at the time of writing. NEInsider will update this story when the council states its position.

Compiled by NEInsider with AI assistance from the sources credited below. How we use AI

Sources and credits. With inputs from EastMojo and Hub News; Meghalaya Tourism Department letter to KHADC. https://eastmojo.com/meghalaya/2026/10/30/meghalaya-asks-khadc-to-unlock-shillong-peak-ropeway-site/ ; https://hubnetwork.in/meghalaya-govt-directs-khadc-to-immediately-remove-seals-from-shillong-peak-ropeway-site/