Shillong, Jan 11: The second day of the cabinet retreat saw the cabinet ministers and bureaucrats trekking down the living root bridge in Siej village, Shella, bringing the governance closer to the grassroots.
The visit aimed to engage with the villagers and assess developmental needs firsthand.The Chief Minister interacted with Hally War, the Rangbah Shnong (village headman), who has held the position for over 40 years. War is credited with creating the village’s celebrated living root bridge when he was just 10-12 years old.
Sangma announced a series of initiatives to improve infrastructure and boost tourism. He sanctioned the construction of a road to improve connectivity, particularly for the village’s residents and visiting tourists. Additionally, he promised to revamp the small lower primary school located on the village outskirts, pledging necessary infrastructure to support education.
The Chief Minister also emphasised the government’s commitment to promoting sustainable tourism in the region. He assured the villagers that necessary steps would be taken to enhance tourism-related facilities while preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the area.