Shillong, Oct 19: In the wake of protests by local residents, the state government will hold a high-level briefing on the crucial Rs 151-crore Shillong Peak Ropeway Project on October 22.
Chief Executive Officer of the Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority (MRDA) and Commissioner & Secretary for Tourism will take part in the briefing at the State Convention Centre in Shillong, according to an official notification.
The official presentation will be followed by a joint interactive question-and-answer session aimed at addressing stakeholders directly.
Last week, talks between state officials and opposing groups remained inconclusive, prompting local residents and activists to launch rallies and issue a 10-day ultimatum to scrap or relocate the project.
The administration has invited district police and civil authorities, forest officials, and traditional institutions, including the headmen of seven local Dorbars from Riat Laban to attend the briefing.
Members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which is spearheading the anti-ropeway movement, have also been asked to table their grievances.
Opposition to the ambitious project, which has all official clearances including from the local Dorbar Shnong, mounted rapidly over the past few weeks.
According to the JAC, the project did not take proper consent of local residents and that it poses significant threat to ecologically sensitive Lum Shyllong (Shillong Peak) and its catchment areas, which can aggravate the water scarcity already faced by the local people.
Activists have also raised alarm over the proposed felling of over 500 trees.
By bringing civil authorities, technical experts, traditional leaders, and protesters to the same table, the state government hopes to navigate the impasse and build consensus around the key tourism infrastructure project.
