Meghalaya’s living root bridges draw record visitors — and a conservation dilemma

The double-decker root bridge at Nongriat, grown over decades from the aerial roots of ficus trees, welcomed more than 60,000 visitors last year. The figure is a record — and, for some in the village, a warning.

Villagers who maintain the bridges have begun a quiet conversation about limits: entry tickets, timed slots, and a fund for the arboricultural care the structures need. ‘A bridge is not a staircase you rebuild; it is something you grow,’ says one custodian.

The tourism department backs a cap and has offered training for local guides. Travel companies argue the bridges are the single strongest draw of the state’s ‘abode of the clouds’ brand.