SAVE LUM SHYLLONG. SAVE SHILLONG. (Development, YES. Location, NO.)
The Issue
This Petition has been voiced to place on record our resolute and unequivocal opposition to the proposed ₹151 crore Shillong Peak Ropeway Project at U Lum Shyllong. The said commercial venture purportedly funded by the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and executed by the Government of Meghalaya through the Tourism Department and subsidiary bodies constitutes an imminent and existential threat to both the ecological equilibrium and the sacrosanct heritage of this region.
While the undersigned community remains fundamentally supportive of sustainable public infrastructure and civic progress therefore, we are bound by customary and civic duty to defend the inviolable integrity of U Lum Shyllong which is a natural heritage of our state and the duty to defend it draws from Article 51A(g) of the Constitution of India. Lum Shyllong is not merely a mountain or a site for development; it is the green and oxygen lung of Shillong City, a vital catchment ecosystem that sustains springs and water sources, and a living refuge for diverse wildlife, flora and fauna. As a traditionally recognized sacred site (Lum Kyntang), its ecological, cultural and spiritual value cannot be measured merely in economic terms. It must therefore be protected from irreversible environmental degradation, ecological disturbance and arbitrary commercial exploitation, so that its forests, waters, wildlife and natural life may continue to sustain Shillong and future generations.
WHY IS PROTECTING LUM SHYLLONG SIGNIFICANT?
The Ecological Lifeline
Shillong’s survival is intrinsically tied to its natural resources. The hill is not merely a scenic backdrop; it is our green lung and our primary water source. Trees are not obstacles or delays to be cleared for project sites because they are life that gives life. A budget of crores can build a Ropeway, but no amount of money can buy back a lost forest, and no engineering feat can build a new spring. When the springs die, Shillong suffers. If we destroy the catchment area, we are cutting the very roots of our future. The priorities must remain clear: first the forest, first the water, then development. Ultimately, no water means no Shillong. No Lum Shyllong means no future. Lum Shyllong is the crucial water source for 'Umjasai' and 'Umrisa'. 'Umjasai' directly feeds the 'Feeder Tank' at 'Khlieh Iew-duh', supplying localities like Mawkhar, Wahingdoh, Qualapatty, and Mawprem. If the hill is destroyed, these water sources will disappear, severely affecting the city's drinking water.
Sacred Heritage over Commercial Gain
This hill has a soul and it must be treated with profound respect. U Lum Shyllong is sacred land that does not require a business plan. We cannot trade our cultural heritage for infrastructure and neither should we turn sacred ground into a commercialized tourist trap. Not everything beautiful needs to be monetized and sold. Keeping Lum Shyllong sacred is essential to keeping the spirit of Shillong alive.
Development Without Wisdom
Development sans wisdom is just destruction with a budget. We cannot afford to "develop" our way into an ecological disaster. While a ropeway might offer a fleeting view for a visitor, our duty is to protect the source not just the scenery. Development has a strict limit, and nature exacts severe consequences when those limits are breached. When profit speaks loudest we must be the ones who speak for the hill. While authorities push this as development for "Tourists," local needs are ignored. For example, the road from Pom Muid to Lawsohtun Block-6 remains in terrible condition. It is not worth "commercialising" our sacred hill for questionable local job prospects. The ropeway will cause "massive traffic jams" in the Laban Pyllun area. Furthermore, stripping the hill of its forest cover will allow hot winds from 'Bangladesh' to sweep in, permanently altering and heating our local climate
WHAT ABOUT THE AUTHORITIES?
The answer is simple and clear: because everything was bypassed, kept hidden clandestinely and done high-handedly right from the beginning.
- No Public Hearing: The project was initiated without any prior public consultation.
- No NOC: Authorities forcefully encroached upon U Lum Shyllong without obtaining a No Objection Certificate from the Hima Mylliem.
- Illegal Execution: Trees were felled before seeking mandatory public 'Suggestions/Objections', and work began before properly fulfilling the 'Grant of License' under the Meghalaya Ropeway Act, 2022.
- Missing Licenses: The project violates the 1954 Trading by Non-Tribals Regulation as work was executed without a Trading License from the District Council.
- No Response to RTI and Letters: Neglectful in responding to sensitive public queries.
- No Definitive Time in Following Orders: The authorities blatantly prolong a 2007 order of the Shillong Bench, Guwahati High Court ruling that direct to analyse the "Critical Catchment Area" protection for the area in question despite it not only being an "area providing water sources for a number of localities in Shillong, but it is also one of the few gradually decreasing "LUNGS" of Shillong City."
It all comes back to one huge question: WHY WAS THE PUBLIC NEVER CALLED OR INFORMED ABOUT THE PROJECT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING?
O U R S T A N D
Tourism can move elsewhere, but our water catchment cannot. As the push for a commercial ropeway threatens the slopes of U Lum Shyllong, we must pause and ask before the ropeway comes into being, What are we losing? If everything is sacrificed for tourism, what is left for the people who call this land home?
The proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway Project at U Lum Shyllong must be scrapped immediately and in its entirety.
Reject any further infrastructural encroachment on this sacred, ecologically fragile catchment area.
If the government wishes to pursue this commercial venture, it must be completely relocated to an alternative, viable site where it does not threaten the city's critical water security, decimate irreplaceable biodiversity, or violate indigenous heritage.
This is a non-negotiable demand reflecting the collective and definitive will of the people, and we will accept no compromises regarding the preservation of our natural environment.
If local residents and stakeholders of Laban pyllun and Shillong as a whole are asking to protect their irreplaceable catchment rather than the ropeway project, why force it upon them, bulldoze their concerns, and go against their wishes, if this hill is destabilised, landslides and soil erosion worsen, wildlife is lost, Shillong gets hotter, and future generations face severe water scarcity, who will take responsibility and bear the irreversible cost?
‘Ka Poetry U Lum Shyllong’
"Na Lum-Risa, Ha Lumjasai!
Tyllong Umdih, Ngim Bit Lehkai!
Ko Rkai Pyrthei, Pynbieij Na Suiñ!
Ïa Ngi Hangne, Wat Wan Pynskuiñ!
Ha Lyngwiar Ba Phi Skut Seng Shnong!
Phim Tip Hynriew Umdih Ngi Don?
Lai Naka Diang - Lai Naka Mon!
Ha Kjat Ranab U Lum Shyllong!
Ka Um-Risa, Ka Ker Mih Ngi!
Ka Um-Jasai, Ka Da Sepngi!
Ha Syndah Jong Phi, Liang Ka Mon!
Ka Wah Sohkhlur, Bad Wah Babon!
Wah Jalynnoh, Bad Wah Um-Mawlong!
Ha Syndah Liang, Ka Diang Ki Don!
Ko Maiñ Rangbah, Ko Reng Mattah!
U Sbai Rupa, U Sur Matlah!
Ia Ki Umksiar, Mynta Ki Por!
Phi Kmen Toh-hoh, Phi Die Tad Dor!
Lyer Khuid Pyngngad, Ka Mei-mariang!
Sa Tang Shipor, Kin Jah Noh Jlang!
Hynñiew Dorbar, Ka Dong Laban!
To Da Peitngor, Da Mut Da Khan!
Por Ba Hadien, Ka Wan Ka Lap!
Phin Kylla Long, Ki Lang Saitpap!"
Development, YES. Wrong location, NO. Our Catchment is irreplaceable!
"Let us be absolutely clear: we are not against development, but we will not tolerate the project at Lum Shyllong for it is in the WRONG PLACE. It must be abandoned and shifted elsewhere suitable immediately, whatever the cost." ~ Voice of Laban Lyllun Area and the residents of Shillong
3,104
The Issue
This Petition has been voiced to place on record our resolute and unequivocal opposition to the proposed ₹151 crore Shillong Peak Ropeway Project at U Lum Shyllong. The said commercial venture purportedly funded by the New Development Bank (NDB) and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and executed by the Government of Meghalaya through the Tourism Department and subsidiary bodies constitutes an imminent and existential threat to both the ecological equilibrium and the sacrosanct heritage of this region.
While the undersigned community remains fundamentally supportive of sustainable public infrastructure and civic progress therefore, we are bound by customary and civic duty to defend the inviolable integrity of U Lum Shyllong which is a natural heritage of our state and the duty to defend it draws from Article 51A(g) of the Constitution of India. Lum Shyllong is not merely a mountain or a site for development; it is the green and oxygen lung of Shillong City, a vital catchment ecosystem that sustains springs and water sources, and a living refuge for diverse wildlife, flora and fauna. As a traditionally recognized sacred site (Lum Kyntang), its ecological, cultural and spiritual value cannot be measured merely in economic terms. It must therefore be protected from irreversible environmental degradation, ecological disturbance and arbitrary commercial exploitation, so that its forests, waters, wildlife and natural life may continue to sustain Shillong and future generations.
WHY IS PROTECTING LUM SHYLLONG SIGNIFICANT?
The Ecological Lifeline
Shillong’s survival is intrinsically tied to its natural resources. The hill is not merely a scenic backdrop; it is our green lung and our primary water source. Trees are not obstacles or delays to be cleared for project sites because they are life that gives life. A budget of crores can build a Ropeway, but no amount of money can buy back a lost forest, and no engineering feat can build a new spring. When the springs die, Shillong suffers. If we destroy the catchment area, we are cutting the very roots of our future. The priorities must remain clear: first the forest, first the water, then development. Ultimately, no water means no Shillong. No Lum Shyllong means no future. Lum Shyllong is the crucial water source for 'Umjasai' and 'Umrisa'. 'Umjasai' directly feeds the 'Feeder Tank' at 'Khlieh Iew-duh', supplying localities like Mawkhar, Wahingdoh, Qualapatty, and Mawprem. If the hill is destroyed, these water sources will disappear, severely affecting the city's drinking water.
Sacred Heritage over Commercial Gain
This hill has a soul and it must be treated with profound respect. U Lum Shyllong is sacred land that does not require a business plan. We cannot trade our cultural heritage for infrastructure and neither should we turn sacred ground into a commercialized tourist trap. Not everything beautiful needs to be monetized and sold. Keeping Lum Shyllong sacred is essential to keeping the spirit of Shillong alive.
Development Without Wisdom
Development sans wisdom is just destruction with a budget. We cannot afford to "develop" our way into an ecological disaster. While a ropeway might offer a fleeting view for a visitor, our duty is to protect the source not just the scenery. Development has a strict limit, and nature exacts severe consequences when those limits are breached. When profit speaks loudest we must be the ones who speak for the hill. While authorities push this as development for "Tourists," local needs are ignored. For example, the road from Pom Muid to Lawsohtun Block-6 remains in terrible condition. It is not worth "commercialising" our sacred hill for questionable local job prospects. The ropeway will cause "massive traffic jams" in the Laban Pyllun area. Furthermore, stripping the hill of its forest cover will allow hot winds from 'Bangladesh' to sweep in, permanently altering and heating our local climate
WHAT ABOUT THE AUTHORITIES?
The answer is simple and clear: because everything was bypassed, kept hidden clandestinely and done high-handedly right from the beginning.
- No Public Hearing: The project was initiated without any prior public consultation.
- No NOC: Authorities forcefully encroached upon U Lum Shyllong without obtaining a No Objection Certificate from the Hima Mylliem.
- Illegal Execution: Trees were felled before seeking mandatory public 'Suggestions/Objections', and work began before properly fulfilling the 'Grant of License' under the Meghalaya Ropeway Act, 2022.
- Missing Licenses: The project violates the 1954 Trading by Non-Tribals Regulation as work was executed without a Trading License from the District Council.
- No Response to RTI and Letters: Neglectful in responding to sensitive public queries.
- No Definitive Time in Following Orders: The authorities blatantly prolong a 2007 order of the Shillong Bench, Guwahati High Court ruling that direct to analyse the "Critical Catchment Area" protection for the area in question despite it not only being an "area providing water sources for a number of localities in Shillong, but it is also one of the few gradually decreasing "LUNGS" of Shillong City."
It all comes back to one huge question: WHY WAS THE PUBLIC NEVER CALLED OR INFORMED ABOUT THE PROJECT RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING?
O U R S T A N D
Tourism can move elsewhere, but our water catchment cannot. As the push for a commercial ropeway threatens the slopes of U Lum Shyllong, we must pause and ask before the ropeway comes into being, What are we losing? If everything is sacrificed for tourism, what is left for the people who call this land home?
The proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway Project at U Lum Shyllong must be scrapped immediately and in its entirety.
Reject any further infrastructural encroachment on this sacred, ecologically fragile catchment area.
If the government wishes to pursue this commercial venture, it must be completely relocated to an alternative, viable site where it does not threaten the city's critical water security, decimate irreplaceable biodiversity, or violate indigenous heritage.
This is a non-negotiable demand reflecting the collective and definitive will of the people, and we will accept no compromises regarding the preservation of our natural environment.
If local residents and stakeholders of Laban pyllun and Shillong as a whole are asking to protect their irreplaceable catchment rather than the ropeway project, why force it upon them, bulldoze their concerns, and go against their wishes, if this hill is destabilised, landslides and soil erosion worsen, wildlife is lost, Shillong gets hotter, and future generations face severe water scarcity, who will take responsibility and bear the irreversible cost?
‘Ka Poetry U Lum Shyllong’
"Na Lum-Risa, Ha Lumjasai!
Tyllong Umdih, Ngim Bit Lehkai!
Ko Rkai Pyrthei, Pynbieij Na Suiñ!
Ïa Ngi Hangne, Wat Wan Pynskuiñ!
Ha Lyngwiar Ba Phi Skut Seng Shnong!
Phim Tip Hynriew Umdih Ngi Don?
Lai Naka Diang - Lai Naka Mon!
Ha Kjat Ranab U Lum Shyllong!
Ka Um-Risa, Ka Ker Mih Ngi!
Ka Um-Jasai, Ka Da Sepngi!
Ha Syndah Jong Phi, Liang Ka Mon!
Ka Wah Sohkhlur, Bad Wah Babon!
Wah Jalynnoh, Bad Wah Um-Mawlong!
Ha Syndah Liang, Ka Diang Ki Don!
Ko Maiñ Rangbah, Ko Reng Mattah!
U Sbai Rupa, U Sur Matlah!
Ia Ki Umksiar, Mynta Ki Por!
Phi Kmen Toh-hoh, Phi Die Tad Dor!
Lyer Khuid Pyngngad, Ka Mei-mariang!
Sa Tang Shipor, Kin Jah Noh Jlang!
Hynñiew Dorbar, Ka Dong Laban!
To Da Peitngor, Da Mut Da Khan!
Por Ba Hadien, Ka Wan Ka Lap!
Phin Kylla Long, Ki Lang Saitpap!"
Development, YES. Wrong location, NO. Our Catchment is irreplaceable!
"Let us be absolutely clear: we are not against development, but we will not tolerate the project at Lum Shyllong for it is in the WRONG PLACE. It must be abandoned and shifted elsewhere suitable immediately, whatever the cost." ~ Voice of Laban Lyllun Area and the residents of Shillong
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Petition created on 8 October 2026