SHILLONG, OCT 30: The Meghalaya Government has issued an ultimatum to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), demanding the immediate removal of locks and seals placed on the Shillong Peak Ropeway project’s Lower Terminal camp at Madan Laban, warning that failure to comply would force it to take further action.

Reiterating that the KHADC’s sealing of the site on October 27 was illegal, Commissioner and Secretary in-charge of Tourism R M Kurbah said the action was carried out without prior notice and involved government-owned property.

Kurbah maintained that around 80% of the land associated with the project belongs to the government, while the remaining 20% is Raid land, and questioned the District Council’s authority to seal the government property.

“This project is 20% Raid land, 80% is government land and this sealing has also been done on government land. For that point we have filed the FIR,” she said.

She added that filing an FIR was a necessary response to any alleged intrusion into government property.

Detailing the October 27 incident, Kurbah said an Inspector of the District Council had seized the Ropeway project’s workspace at Madan Laban, including around 10 to 13 buildings, following which locks were put on the premises.

She questioned why the authorities had proceeded without issuing any prior notice, pointing out that even in cases involving loan defaults, the concerned parties are first served notices before further action is taken.

The Tourism Department has written to the Secretary of the KHADC Executive Committee, placing three demands before the District Council: immediate removal of the locks and seals, withdrawal of the seizure carried out on October 27, and written confirmation that these steps have been taken.

Kurbah warned that the government would be compelled to take necessary action if the KHADC failed to comply.

“It is a government asset, so sealing of the Lower Terminal Point cannot be done. It does not belong to any individual party, it is government property, so sealing is uncalled for,” she asserted.

Government defends preliminary Ropeway work

On the legality of the ongoing work at the site, Kurbah maintained that the contractor was carrying out only preliminary activities permitted under the Meghalaya Ropeway Act, 2022, while the process of obtaining the trading licence remained underway.

Citing Section 30, Sub-section 2 of the Act, she said preliminary work could be undertaken pending the contractor’s trading licence.

She explained that contractors participating in a tender do not necessarily possess a trading licence at that stage. The licence application is taken up after the contractor receives the work order from the government.

During the intervening period, the law permits preparatory activities such as ground levelling, construction of approach roads and other related groundwork, she said.

Kurbah also outlined the sequence of approvals and procedures followed by the contractor.

According to her, the contractor received the work order in October 2025, obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Dorbar Raid Laban on May 4, 2026, and submitted Form 5 along with other required documents to the District Council on May 18.

She said the process was still ongoing and that the contractor had also received a show-cause notice, to which he submitted a reply in September.

“If they say why are you working without obtaining a Licence, at least there should have been something in writing or some kind of Notice to him and to us also,” she said, questioning the absence of prior communication before the sealing exercise.

Tourism Department clarifies jurisdiction over land

On the question of jurisdiction, Kurbah clarified that the land in question was government property and therefore did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem.

She, however, clarified that obtaining the NOC from the relevant authorities was the responsibility of the contractor and not the government.

“The land is government property, so it will not fall under the jurisdiction of the Syiem of Hima Mylliem. It is already government property, but the one who has to take the NOC is the Contractor. That is not the role of the government, it is the role of the contractor,” she said.