Shillong, Aug 17: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday inaugurated the “Pine Home” Eco-Sustainable Project at Mawlangwir Village, Mawkyrwat in South West Khasi Hills, in the presence of Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong and Tourism Minister Timothy D Shira.
He also remotely inaugurated the Twahlongwar Open-Air Museum in Mawsynram.
Calling Pine Home a model where “sustainability, local knowledge and modern innovation come together,” the CM said the project is built in harmony with nature using natural heating systems, recycled materials, rainwater conservation and largely local resources. Local artisans and workers were central to its construction.
The government invested about ₹5.90 crore in the project through the Saitsnat Multipurpose Cooperative Society. Facilities include a restaurant, community hall, conference and training spaces, guest rooms and a Tourism Information Centre.
The CM said the project aligns with the government’s vision to make SWKH a destination for longer stays and to boost the local economy. He cited the CM Homestay Mission targeting 3,000 homestays by 2028 for employment generation, and added that Pine Home will serve as a model for future eco-friendly infrastructure across the state.
He also announced support for 48 scholars under the Chief Minister’s Research Grant in its first year, and that 75 scholars will travel to Vietnam, Cambodia and Tibet under ‘Tracing the Roots’ to study the origins of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people.
Later, the CM laid the foundation stone for the upgradation of the Weiloi–Mawkyrwat–Rangthong road. The ₹140 crore project is fully state-funded.
Describing it as a “growth corridor,” he said the road will cut travel time and costs and improve access to health, education and markets. He noted that since 2018, over ₹850 crore worth of projects have been implemented in SWKH, with total commitments nearing ₹990 crore. More than 3,200 km of roads have been built across Meghalaya in the last 8 years.
“Development must reach every nook and corner. South West Khasi Hills will not be an afterthought; it will be one of the engines of growth,” the CM said.
Others present included MLAs Renikton L. Tongkhar, Pius Marwein, Olan Singh Suin and Dr Celestine Lyngdoh, Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil P. Ahammed, and officials from the Tourism Department, Meghalayan Age Ltd., EMAGE Architecture and local communities.
