Shillong: Sohra is buckling under the weight of too many tourists. Crowds swarm hotspots like Wei Sawdong and Nohkalikai daily, leaving the fragile environment in ruins. Hundreds of buses and thousands of private cars choke the roads. Traffic congestion remains constant from dawn until dusk.
Hoteliers blame the influx on recent landslides near Dawki. That disaster forced travelers to reroute through Sohra, packing restaurants and roadside stalls past their breaking point. Visitors even damaged the living root bridges in Siej by jumping on the ancient structures.
Alan West Kharkongor, president of the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum, demands the state government stop dragging its feet. Officials drafted a protection policy, but it sits idle. "The vision is there, and the government has realised that we are a nature-based tourism state but execution of the idea on the ground level is lacking," Kharkongor said.
Local authorities must step up. Dorbar Shnongs manage these sites and need to enforce strict rules immediately. Failure to act could drive away the right kind of visitor. The state risks losing its natural beauty, which is the only reason travelers come here in the first place. The Forum plans to petition the government to save these sites before it is too late.
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