SHILLONG: The state government has finally zeroed in on a location at Umling in Ri Bhoi district for setting up the long pending entry and exit point.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma along with Urban Affairs Minister Hamlet Dohling and Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Saturday inspected the site and finalised the location for setting up the entry and exit point.
Talking to media persons after the inspection, the chief minister said that the work on the entry and exit point would begin in a month’s time while adding that the PWD has been asked to design the place.
The entry and exit point will be constructed at an old weighbridge belonging to the government at Umling.
According to Sangma, since the land belongs to the government, it would save a lot of money.
He, however, added that completion of the facilitation centre would take some time to come up as there is a need to construct a lot of infrastructure.
It may be mentioned that the government will need over Rs 1,000 crore to set up entry and exit points in different parts of the state.
The state government has entrusted the Meghalaya Institute of Governance with carrying out social impact assessment (SIA) at 14 locations, including five in Garo Hills, for the entry and exit points.
The idea of entry and exit points was mooted way back in 2014 when the state was witness to protests following demand to implement Inner Line Permit in the state to check influx into the state.
The then MUA government then committed itself to put together a comprehensive mechanism and entry and exit points are a part of that.