Meghalaya CM inaugurates northeast circuit tourism project

Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma has inaugurated the project “Development of North East Circuit: Umiam (Lake View) – U Lum Sohpetbneng- Mawdiangdiang – Orchid Lake Resort” in Umiam, Meghalaya, implemented under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Others present on the occasion were Metbah Lyngdoh, Minister of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya; Yogendra Tripathi, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Sanbor Shullai, Chairman, Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation.
The project was sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism in July 2016 for Rs 99.13 crores. Under it, the ministry has developed facilities like traditional healing centre, tribal rejuvenation centre, tourist information centre, multi-purpose hall, log huts, cafeteria, sound and light show, souvenir Shops, water sports zone, zip line, canopy walk, trekking routes, cycling track, last-mile connectivity, caravan parking, public toilets and solid waste management.
The nort-east region received a total of 1.69 lakh foreign tourists during 2017 as against 1.45 lakh in 2016 registering a growth of 16.7 per cent over 2016. The domestic tourist visits reached 95.47 lakhs in the year 2017 against 77.71 lakhs, registering impressive double-digit growth of 22.8 per cent over 2016.