SHILLONG, April 10: The entry gate at Umling continues to be beset with problems four months after it became functional, delaying the movement of inbound residents and tourists to the state.
The language barrier has emerged as the biggest challenge at the entry point. The staff manning the Umling facility and the people who arrive for registration and testing for COVID-19 often find it difficult to understand each other.
Visitors said the state government should assign the entry gate to people who can manage to communicate in Hindi, the language a majority of the people is acquainted with. Some have complained about the tone in which the staff at the counters talk. “Since the people out here are dealing with a large number of people, the government should train the check gate officials in etiquette and politeness,” a passenger said.
The entry gate has also been faulted for having two few COVID testing counters for too many people. The government should add to the two-three counters at present, visitors said.
A counter takes at least half an hour to conduct the rapid antigen test – at Rs. 250 per head – on four-five passengers of a tourist cab.
Cloud on other centres
There has been no word from the government on setting up entry-exit points at Ratacherra, Bajengdoba and Mendipathar railway station, as planned.
The Umling facilitation centre was inaugurated on December 21 last year, as warranted by the Meghalaya Residents’ Safety and Security Act. The Act makes it mandatory for every outsider to be registered at the entry gate for visiting the state for any purpose.
The Umling facility has a help desk, a counter for pre-registered visitors/tourists having COVID-free certificate, a counter for new registration for visitors and tourists, a testing area for travellers without COVID-free certificate, a report-collection centre, an isolation room, a counter for VIP/emergency, an infiltration cell and a cafeteria/canteen area.
