SHILLONG, JUNE 20: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday said the forest department will soon hand over 300 acres of land for development of Umiam area as a major tourist attraction
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said, “We have made substantial progress in the sense that the department of forest has expressed its willingness to part with about 300 acres of land for facilitating growth of tourism in that particular hub and we would like Umiam to be a major tourist attraction of not only Meghalaya but also entire North East.”
“Based on that presentation, the department concerned will be asked to finalise the rest of the details and in principle we have agreed that we will expand Umiam as a tourist hub of the state of Meghalaya,” he said.
Aiming to make Umiam a major tourist destination not only in Meghalaya but also in entire North East, he informed that the ambitious project is to expand the units of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) by introducing more facilities, more entertainment zones and also upscale the present accommodation facilities available with the Orchid Lake resort.
“We are also thinking in terms of having water sports entertainment and such other facilities. We are identifying those activities,” he added.
Asked what all activities and infrastructure will be developed around Umiam , Lyngdoh said that “This will include all activities especially water sports for instance there will be for tourists so that they do not confine themselves to their hotel rooms. There will be walking space in and around Nehru Park . There will be facilities for children. Basically adventure sports will also be encouraged . Then we are also thinking in terms of having entertainment, water sports entertainment such other facilities, we are identifying the activities.
Asked about the cleaning of Umiam Lake which over the years has become dirty , The Tourism minister said that “This will form part of the rejuvenation plan, because along with the expansion we are also planning to rejuvenate the Umiam Lake which is why this meeting involving different departments was called today. The department of Power was tasked with the responsibility coming up with a plan for instance desiltation they will take this up and things will start moving now you will be seeing results soon.”
“It should happen within the next six months or so at least the cleaning of the Umiam Lake but the expansion work this will take sometime but we expect that things should start moving within a year from today. “said the minister when asked when will it (the work) start.
Following the Observations of the High Court of Meghalaya that no developmental activities should come up near the Umiam Lake Lyngdoh said that “we will avoid those areas which will attract any infringement upon water bodies which is why we are going expand more towards the hillside, and gain 300 acres of land which is not immediately contiguous to the lake.”
On being asked about the challenges of the road Infrastructure on certain quarters, he said that “you have to look at it this way the moment we push for tourism to grow as a vital sector of the economy then it only makes sense that the road sector should also get more attention. And one reason for the road sector to grow would be because we are pushing tourism to grow and therefore they cannot lag behind. So that way we will be motivating the growth of the road sector and also we know for sure there are challenges like the Traffic situation in Shillong. Which is why now we have the decongestion plan . The decongestion plan happens because we need to ensure that there is better flow of traffic within Shillong City otherwise Tourism will suffer.
Lyngdoh further said that “We will be infusing a lot capital into reviving the lake infact we are thinking in terms of even having helicopter services connecting Umiam with other tourism circuits within Meghalaya like for instance Umiam to New Shillong, New Shillong To Sohra like that so once these are connected by air we will also be attracting high value tourists who will spend more and the footfalls will be less but the spending capacity will be more.”