Airport expansion to increase job opportunities: Paul Lyngdoh

Shillong, Oct 17: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh has said the expansion of the Umroi airport will benefit over 3000 youth in terms of jobs.

Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said, “I have already personally attended two conclaves and met various stakeholders in the tourism sector. The expansion of the airport will be a major game changer. Once that happens our dependence on road connectivity and road sector and transportation by road will be reduced and also with the expansion of the activities of the department, we will be in a position to provide employment to not less than 3000 more youth in the transport sector,” he said.

Lyngdoh said the department will engage tourist bodies.

“We will begin with 50 youths, who will be part of the process of guiding, providing information and generally representing the face of Meghalaya when it comes to dealing with visitors in the state. At the initial stage, we will have these bodies at Sohra, Umiam and Shillong,” he said.

On the issues raised by taxi association, Lyngdoh said the committee will meet them on Friday.

“Secondly, you would have seen the reaction of various stakeholders. They have been emphatic in saying you can’t disallow transporters from another state to Meghalaya. They have been very clear. It is not the government saying it but it is the various stakeholders, who have said it. Having said that, we also have to look at ourselves, the quality of services that we need to improve, the language, the behaviour, the dress code, the punctuality. In a competitive world people have choices. Therefore, we cannot make these secondary, they have to be fundamental as you embrace that particular trade or profession. So apart from that in an open economy that on any given day, we are short by 3500 vehicles ferrying people to Meghalaya,” he said.

Umiam to get facelift 

Lyngdoh said Umiam will soon become a major tourist hub.

He said, “The circuit that we are contemplating, we are now in the process of acquiring land. The land is being transferred to us about 300 acres by the MeECL through the power department. Also, the Lum Nehru Park, which is in the forest department, is being transferred to the tourism department. The entire area in and around Umiam will be a major tourist hub once these activities are completed.”

On the environmental concerns, the minister however said, “You must be aware that the high court is at our doorstep. You can’t do things which will be questioned by the court at any time. We are ceased with these concerns. We would like to work in a framework where the concerns, the environment for our water bodies are in sync with our objective to push tourism as a sector”

Ropeway project 

Construction of th Shillong ropeway project will start soon.

Lyngdoh said, “The Shillong ropeway project has made a lot of headway and work on the ground should start by the middle of November this year and the total cost of the project is 175 crore”.

The minister said, “At the moment, we are at a stage of opening two bids – one is a technical bid and the other is a financial bid. I am told there are three companies, which are bidders for this project and they all qualified upto what is known as CEN standards, which is international standard for ropeway projects in Europe, which means because of our topography and contours, we are going for the highest possible standard, the European standard called the CEN.”

Minister defends festivals

He said what people think is wasting or spending is actually investment in the tourism sector.

Lyngdoh said the Meghalaya government is investing a total of Rs 5 crore in the Cherry Blossom festival, which is scheduled to be held on November 15 and 16.

“The government of Nagaland  invests about Rs 10 crore in their Hornbill Festival, which is double the amount that we are investing but look at the tangible economic  returns that come to the state. Just the GST itself which is 18% and is paid by the hospitality sector, the transport sector, it adds up to Rs 3.5 crore per day depending on the footfall that we expect,” he said.