Congress MLA Charles Pyngrope is in favour of the prefab structure for establishing the entry-exit point’s centre at Umling immediately.
Speaking to Highland Post, the senior legislator said that prefab structures are everywhere in the world and that the entry-exit points should not be of heavy infrastructure.
“Most international border check points are made of prefab structure which makes shifting, etc easier and I think the prefab structure is the best,” Pyngrope maintained adding that one can put up a million prefab structures in a month.
When asked if this means he welcomes the de-sanctioning of the entry-exit point at Umling, Pyngrope said the urgent need is setting up of the entry-exit point.
“The idea is to provide the same facilities and there are companies in India that construct the prefab structures within a week with all the facilities like air-conditioning, toilets, canteen facilities, etc,” he said.
When asked if this means that groups that are opposing this did not understand the idea of prefab structure, Pyngrope said, “I cannot say about them but I think prefab structures are also cheaper, faster and lasting.”
On October 15, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma discussed with officials the progress of the entry-exit point at Umling.
According to him, the work on site is underway and the State government is targeting to complete the same by November.
Sangma also said that officials have been directed to work on the integration of registration system at the entry-exit point.
The State government had earlier accorded a sanction of Rs 15 crore for the construction of the permanent entry and exit point at Umling.
The government however decided to de-sanction the project since it will take a lot of time to complete the project. It also decided to go for the prefab structure.
A new sanction of around Rs 3 crore was made for the construction of the prefab structure.
Besides the entry and exit points, the prefab structure will also have the entry point for Covid-19.
“We will be shifting the Covid-19 entry point to Umling, which is currently functional, from a temporary structure at Byrnihat once it is operational,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said earlier this month.
Earlier, there was hue and cry over the government’s decision to de-sanction the administrative approval amounting to Rs 15,92,81,000 for construction of the entry-point at Umling as per a letter issued by the Under Secretary of the Tourism department, T Lyngdoh to the Principal AG (Audit) CASS Section, Shillong on September 29.
Anti-influx groups comprising of the KSU, GSU, FKJGP, HNYF, AYWO, RBYF and ADE have questioned the de-sanctioning of the entry-exit point project and accused the government of trying to delay measures to curb influx.
