Umling facilitation centre in disarray

SHILLONG, March 3: Things look haphazard at Meghalaya’s entry point as the Umling facilitation centre in Ri-Bhoi district falls short on providing convenient and hassle-free services.
Even as the facilitation centre completes one year of its grand inauguration, much to the disappointment of the locals and the tourists, it stands in complete disarray today, as The Shillong Times found in its visit on Wednesday.
To begin with, the Umling entry point lacks arrangements for convenient and comfortable stay for the several tourists who enter the state on a daily basis.
The toilet is unkempt, devoid of water supply and has no one to keep it in good shape.
The canteen too, which was also opened as part of the facility, has been closed down for some time now, and as such, weary and food-deprived visitors have no option but to wait until they are done with the formalities at the checkgate.
In addition to the dearth of these basic amenities, it was further found that only a limited number of registration counters are available in the facility to cater to the long queues of travellers, leading thus to their delayed entry into the state.
As of now, the COVID-19 protocol being followed is a simple procedure: double-vaccinated people show their certificates at the counter, after which they are issued a receipt which is checked later on by security personnel. In case of those who do not have the required vaccination status, people will have to go through mandatory testing before entering Meghalaya.