SHILLONG: Sohra, popularly referred to as Cherrapunjee, has the potential to attract a far greater number of tourists than what it is doing at the moment, but the most popular tourist destination in Meghalaya lacks basic infrastructure which comes as a obstacle for many tourists who wish to spend time alone in the lap of nature.
Local residents of Sohra complain that non-availability of budget hotels deters tourists from staying back in Sohra. The general practice is that tourists hire vehicles to travel to Sohra but return to Shillong in the evening due to the absence of hotels and lodges.
Phostarwell Tariang, headman of Khliehshong village in Sohra, while speaking to a group of journalists in Sohra, said that the place needs good and affordable hotels so that tourists from all backgrounds can stay here for a longer period of time.
Exuding confidence, he said that there was no for any tourist to perceive any security threat since every resident of Sohra believed in the motto: “Tourists are our friends”.
Speaking on other factors that affected tourism in Sohra, the headman said that most of the internal road in Sohra was in a pathetic state. Arguing in favour of better roads in Sohra, the headman cited the condition of the road leading to Thangkharang Park has been in shambles for years.
Sohra Kansal Diengdoh, headman of Pdengshnong village in Sohra, asserted that the place was visited by tourists from across the globe and it is necessary that better infrastructure is created at Sohra to attract a far greater number of tourists that would ultimately boost the economy of the local people.
A lady who runs a shop at Sohra market lamented that mobile network in the interior areas of Sohra was unreliable and required vast improvement.
Incidentally, some tourists who spoke to this scribe were visibly surprised and happy that the infrastructure at Sohra had shown improvement over the years.
The tourists also mentioned that that Shillong-Sohra road had been fully repaired and driving on the road had become a sheer pleasure.
Among other positives, the tourists cited the construction of eateries and wash rooms at tourist spots such as Mawkdok and others under the Sohra Eco Restoration project.
