Shillong ropeway row: Laban residents rally, set October 26 deadline
Representative image: Bergadder / Pixabay
Laban residents marched against Meghalaya's Shillong ropeway project on October 17, 2026 after talks failed, and gave the government until October 26 to move it.
What Happened
Residents of Laban in Shillong marched to the site of Meghalaya's proposed Shillong ropeway on Saturday, October 17, 2026, demanding that the tourism project be moved away from Lum Shyllong, the Shillong Peak area. The rally, organised by a Joint Action Committee (JAC), came two days after talks between the committee and the state Tourism Department on October 15 ended without agreement. The JAC has given the state government until October 26 to drop the project at the site, and has warned that it will step up its agitation. The Tourism Department says all required permissions were obtained.
Key Facts
- October 15, 2026: a meeting between the JAC and the Meghalaya Tourism Department ended without agreement.
- October 17, 2026: residents of Laban Pyllun under the JAC banner marched from Last Stop to the ropeway project site.
- The JAC wants the project stopped at Lum Shyllong and shifted elsewhere; its secretary, Dr Linda Marbaniang, cited tree felling and water security.
- Reports put the JAC's deadline at October 26; one report described it as a 10-day ultimatum.
- Tourism Director Brenda Lee Pakyntein said the department obtained a No Objection Certificate from the local Dorbar Shnong and signed a lease before going ahead.
- One report said the contractor's trading licence from the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council was still pending.
- Former tourism minister Paul Lyngdoh said the necessary environmental clearances had been obtained and questioned why objections were being raised now.
Why It Matters
Ropeways are becoming a favoured tool for hill tourism in India. They carry visitors up steep slopes without new roads, and states see them as a way to draw more tourists to viewpoints and pilgrimage sites. A ropeway in the Shillong Peak area would add a new attraction to the state capital's tourism offer.
But the Laban dispute shows the other side of such projects. Hill towns have limited land, forest cover and water, and residents near a project site carry the day-to-day costs: construction, cutting of trees, traffic and pressure on water sources. The JAC's concerns, as stated by its secretary, are about tree felling and water security. Its demand is not to redesign the project but to move it, which leaves little room for compromise.
Meghalaya's system of local governance adds a layer that is specific to the state. A Dorbar Shnong is the traditional village or locality council in Khasi areas, and its consent carries real weight. The Tourism Department's main defence is that it obtained a No Objection Certificate from the Dorbar Shnong and signed a lease. The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, a constitutional body for tribal areas, issues trading licences, and one report said the contractor's licence from the council was still pending. How these traditional and constitutional approvals line up with the residents' objections will shape what happens next.
For travellers, the dispute is about a project still to be built. The open question is whether the ropeway, if it goes ahead, will be at this site at all.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| October 15, 2026 | JAC and Tourism Department talks end without agreement |
| October 16, 2026 | Department and former minister defend clearances |
| October 17, 2026 | Residents march from Last Stop to the project site |
| October 26, 2026 | JAC deadline for the government to drop the site |
Impact
Short-term: Work at the site faces pressure as the JAC deadline approaches. Further talks, or an escalation of protests after October 26, are both possible. The pending trading licence is another point the project must clear.
Long-term: The outcome will be watched by other hill states planning ropeways. A settlement that addresses trees and water could become a template for winning local consent; a forced shift of the site would show how much power local objections hold over state tourism plans.
Who is affected: Residents of Laban and nearby localities, the Meghalaya Tourism Department and the project contractor, the local Dorbar Shnong, tourism businesses in Shillong such as hotels, taxi operators and guides, and visitors to the Shillong Peak area.
Key Takeaway
After failed talks on October 15 and a rally on October 17, 2026, Laban residents have given Meghalaya until October 26 to move the Shillong ropeway, while the Tourism Department insists the project has the approvals it needs.
Questions and Answers
Why are Laban residents protesting against the Shillong ropeway?
The Joint Action Committee wants the project stopped at Lum Shyllong and moved elsewhere. Its secretary, Dr Linda Marbaniang, has cited tree felling and water security as the main concerns.
What does the Meghalaya Tourism Department say about the Shillong ropeway?
Tourism Director Brenda Lee Pakyntein said the department obtained a No Objection Certificate from the local Dorbar Shnong and signed a lease agreement before going ahead. Former tourism minister Paul Lyngdoh said environmental clearances were in place.
What is the deadline set by the protesters?
Reports say the JAC has given the government until October 26, 2026 to scrap the project at the site, warning that it will intensify its agitation otherwise.
What is a Dorbar Shnong?
It is the traditional council of a village or locality in Khasi areas of Meghalaya. Its consent is an important local approval for projects on community land.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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