SHILLONG, May 1: The once high-profile facilitation centre-cum-entry point at Umling in Ri-Bhoi, inaugurated with much fanfare in 2020, has finally been demolished, bringing a quiet end to a project that once was the state’s attempt to enforce tighter regulation of movement into Meghalaya.
The prefab structure, constructed at a cost of Rs 2.7 crore, was inaugurated in 2020 amid expectations that it would serve as a key checkpoint. Apart from functioning as an entry point, the facility played a crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic, where it was used to gather information and conduct testing of people entering the state.
However, the project soon ran into legal hurdles.
Following a petition, the judiciary had intervened and ordered the closure of the entry point. The centre had originally been set up as a mechanism to address concerns over illegal immigration under the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act.
Since its closure, the facility remained unused for years, standing as a reminder of a halted initiative. Recently, the prefab structure was seen being dismantled, marking the final chapter of the Umling entry point.
Plans for similar entry and exit points at other locations across the state had once been proposed, but the idea never materialised.
With the structure now gone, the future of the Umling site remains uncertain, and it is unclear what the government intends to develop at the location next.
