By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday virtually laid the foundation stone for the Rs 32 crore Mawmluh Exponential Centre and Sohra waterfall trails estimated to cost Rs 27 crore.
“We are honoured and pleased that Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of these two projects,” Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh said after attending a virtual meeting with the PM.
“These projects will be taken up under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 programme and the Prime Minister was also kind enough to have virtually inaugurated the Development of North East Tourism circuit,” he said.
“The projects that were inaugurated are worth Rs 85 crore. These include the Krang Suri Falls and other sites within Meghalaya whose details will be circulated,” he added.
Lyngdoh said these projects will strengthen the tourism infrastructure in the state and ensure a better experience for the tourists.
“For instance, the waterfall trails will be a circuit connecting various waterfalls of the Sohra region while the one-of-a-kind Mawmluh exponential centre is linked to the Meghalayan Age, the geological age of our state determined globally,” he said.
The minister also said Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma will lay the foundation stones for the Mawlyndep tourism complex near Umiam and a futsal ground at Lower Mawprem on Friday.
Among the other projects the PM inaugurated remotely was the Katta Beel Tourist Facilitation Centre at Nogorpara village in South West Garo Hills.
The inauguration programme held in Ampati was attended by dignitaries including Rangsakona MLA Subir Marak, MDCs of Nogorpara and Boldamgre, Linekar Sangma and Stevie Marak, Soradini Sangma (mother of the Chief Minister), Under Secretary to the Union Ministry of Tourism, Manju Mann, Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar, district heads, principals and heads of institutions, and NGO representatives.
The tourist facilitation centre, sanctioned in 2019-2020 for approximately Rs 2.65 crore, has five rooms with attached baths on the first floor and a kitchen, cafeteria, and lounge area on the ground floor.