SHILLONG : Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday said establishing a visitor registration centre at Umling would not, by itself, address concerns over influx, stressing that any such system must be supported by a strong legal framework to be effective.
Speaking to reporters, Sangma said creating an entry and exit point was not the difficult part. The bigger challenge, he said, is ensuring that authorities have the legal powers to verify, regulate and enforce checks on people entering the state. His remarks come days after Tourism Minister Timothy D. Shira announced that Meghalaya would introduce a compulsory visitor registration system designed to function like a virtual Inner Line Permit (ILP).
The proposed mechanism will begin at Umling in Ri-Bhoi district before being expanded to other entry points, including parts of Garo Hills. The system is intended to record visitor details, verify identities and improve monitoring of movement into the state while strengthening public safety. However, Sangma said the effectiveness of the initiative will depend not on infrastructure, but on the legal authority available to officials implementing it.
According to the Chief Minister, the government is relying on proposed amendments to the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) to provide that authority.He expressed hope that the revised law would enable the government to carry out proper verification and enforcement once the registration system becomes operational. Sangma also noted that simply deploying officials or constructing a checkpoint would not automatically resolve the issue of influx unless there are clear legal provisions defining the powers of enforcement and the nature of inspections.
The proposed registration facility at Umling has recently drawn public attention after the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) objected to the inclusion of a food court, insisting that the site should function solely as a facilitation and surveillance centre. The prefab structure, built in 2020 at a cost of ₹2.7 crore, earlier served as a COVID-19 screening centre for travellers entering Meghalaya through Jorabat and Byrnihat before later becoming the focus of legal proceedings and fresh government plans.