The Meghalaya government has decided to explore dedicated parking facilities with civic amenities in the Pynursla-Rymaw area to address tourist transportation issues and improve visitor convenience, Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said on Monday.
The proposed facilities will include toilets, food stalls and designated pick-up and drop-off points for tourists. The government will initially focus on the Pynursla-Rymaw stretch before exploring another location in East Khasi Hills.
The decision followed a meeting convened by the Transport Department with representatives of tourist taxi associations, hotels, homestays and tour guides, along with officials from the Tourism and Transport departments, district administration and police.
Dhar said the proposal was taken up following requests from tourist taxi associations, which had raised concerns over transportation arrangements and the need for better facilities for visitors.
“We have decided that we will put up good parking lots with full civic amenities somewhere around Pynursla and Rymaw,” Dhar said, adding that the facilities would also serve as tourist pick-up and drop-off points.
The meeting also discussed ways to ensure that local taxi operators benefit from tourism-related business. Dhar said a new committee comprising representatives from tourism associations, hotels, homestays and tour guides had been formed to improve coordination and explore opportunities for engaging local taxis.
He urged hotels and homestay operators to use local taxi services wherever possible, saying the initiative would help local drivers secure more trips and benefit from tourist arrivals.
On the long-standing issue involving tourist vehicles from Assam and Meghalaya, Dhar said the matter would be left to the respective associations to discuss and resolve mutually. Asked whether vehicles entering from Assam would be required to stop beyond Umiam, he said no such decision had been taken and that the associations should discuss the arrangement.
Meanwhile, acknowledging the slowdown in tourism over the past few months, Dhar said the sector was gradually recovering and returning to normal. He said the government was preparing several schemes to support tourism but cautioned that the impact would not be immediate.
He described Monday’s meeting as an important step towards bringing tourism stakeholders together to address their concerns and improve coordination.
The proposed parking facilities and the newly formed committee are expected to focus on improving tourist amenities and strengthening the participation of local transport operators in Meghalaya’s tourism sector.