Laying rest to speculations and expectations, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has informed that the state government has no plan for construction of ropeway to ease traffic congestion within the state capital Kohima.

Rio stated this in reply to a starred query raised by Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP) MLA Dr. Sukhato A Sema who raised concern on the perennial traffic congestion in Kohima.

Supplementing to the answer given by the chief minister Sema on Tuesday referred to the 2024 Swadesh Darshan 2.0 Scheme under which the Meghalaya government came up with ropeway construction at the cost of Rs.175 crore for 2.1 kilometres. He also stated that Hyderabad and Telangana have also come up with ropeway construction under tourism initiative at a cost of Rs.50 crore per kilometre while Uttarakhand has introduced a 4.15 km ropeway under Swadesh Darshan tourism initiative. Sema asked when these schemes are available, why the state government cannot take up similar initiative to make ropeway between Old Secretariat Complex to Kohima Science College, then connecting AG Office, Kohima village and New Secretariat Complex via Bayavu.

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He said it is time for the state to also take up such project under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme under tourism initiative as the program is still active.

Minister for Rural Development Metsubo Jamir in his reply said that there is proposal for construction of road from Catholic Publication Centre bypassing town area, below Assam Rifles Camp, Highschool Junction to T Khel bypass, New Market to T Khel bypass, Model Hr Secondary School Lerie to Capital bypass, Alder College to T Khel bypass road.

The minister stated that all these amount to around Rs.20-25 crore to ease the congestion of traffic in the capital. However, he said the suggestion given by MLA Sema was well accepted and assured that the department will look into it since traffic congestion affects everyone.