SHILLONG — Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma re-inducted National People's Party MLA Paul Lyngdoh into the Meghalaya Cabinet on November 2, assigning him the Tourism portfolio amid sustained opposition to the Shillong Peak Ropeway Project.

Lyngdoh was sworn in as Cabinet Minister by Governor C.H. Vijayashankar at Lok Bhavan. The move places him at the forefront of the government's efforts to address growing resistance to the contested initiative.

The Shillong Peak Ropeway Project aims to connect Shillong Viewpoint at Shillong Peak with the Forest Nursery at Riat Laban. The project has drawn opposition from residents, women's groups under the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun, the Khasi Students' Union, and the Voice of the People Party. The dispute has also spilled into a confrontation between the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the state government.

Lyngdoh, who previously handled the Tourism Department until a Cabinet reshuffle in 2025, returned to the Ministry he once oversaw. He stated he was not informed in advance about his portfolios and accepted the assignment at the Chief Minister's request, citing the need for continuity in tourism activities.

Defending the ropeway initiative, Lyngdoh has maintained the project secured necessary environmental clearances from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 2022. He has questioned why objections have surfaced only years after the clearances were obtained and the project was made public. Referencing international ropeway systems, particularly those in the Swiss Alps, Lyngdoh has argued that environmental safeguards and safety considerations were taken into account.

Beyond improving tourist access to Shillong Peak, Lyngdoh has highlighted potential benefits for local farmers through easier transportation of agricultural produce. The state government signed a land-handing-over agreement with the Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun on January 16, 2023, in the presence of the Chief Minister.

Opposition from women's groups, particularly over the proposed lower terminal site, has transformed the project into a sensitive local issue. Lyngdoh has indicated he would adopt a balanced approach by engaging with the groups involved while remaining firm on the project's objectives.

Lyngdoh's re-induction comes as the government seeks to defend the project politically and bring tourism back on track in Meghalaya.