Tourists visiting Sohra are set to be captivated by a new destination.
Nur Thlong Park, a nature park under Mawsmai-Nongthymmai Elaka in Sohra, was inaugurated today by Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh.
Located close to Thangkharang Park, the newly inaugurated park offers a clear view of the plains of Bangladesh and the scenic beauty of the Ri-War area.
Nur Thlong refers to the many holes on the rocks along the entire stretch of the perennial stream.
Visitors at the park can also get a closer look at the Khoh Ramhah rock from a specially constructed viewpoint. What adds to the beauty of the park is the waterfall that flows down the deep ravine near the viewpoint.
Named after a stream that flows through the centre of the specially maintained grove, Nur Thlong Park is a good place to relax in the shade of thick greenery, shrubs and flower plants.
There is also a natural swimming pool where tourists can take a dip in the cool, clear water of Nur Thlong stream.
A cemented footpath leads visitors to the scenic viewpoint as also to the other parts of the grove in this nature park.
According to the Sirdar of Mawsmai-Nongthymmai Elaka, Kenes Khongwar, the park is a must visit tourist spot for those who want to enjoy the beauty of nature.
“We all know that Sohra is the top tourist destination in Meghalaya and Mawsmai is the place where most of the tourist spots are located,” Khongwar said.
He said that the Nur Thlong Park is a new addition to the existing tourist spots of the area such as Mawsmai Cave, Nohsngithiang Falls and Eco Park.
“We are in the process of fully developing another tourist spot known as Double Drive,” Khongwar added.
He also explained that Double Drive is the place where the British set up a two-way ropeway connecting the Sohra area with Chattak in Bangladesh for trade and commerce activities in the 1800s.
Stating that after the closure of the Mawmluh Cherra Cements Limited (MCCL) which has led to loss of livelihood to many local residents either directly or indirectly, Khongwar said that people of Mawsmai have turned to tourism as an alternative means of livelihood.
“As of now, 60 per cent of the people in Mawsmai-Nongthymmai Elaka are employed in tourism-related activities,” he said.
Khongwar also urged the State government to ensure smooth road conditions to all tourist spots in the area in order to attract more tourists.
He also said that electricity and mobile phone network outages are some of the hurdles being faced by people running home-stays and resorts in the area.
“During monsoon, power cuts are a regular affair. Tourists are forced to take cold showers as the water geysers are not working due to lack of power. Added to this is the problem of mobile phone network outage which occurs most of the time especially during rainy seasons,” Khongwar said.
He said that most of these problems can be addressed in a holistic manner if the State government is serious about promoting tourism in Mawsmai in particular and Sohra area in general.
