Meghalaya is preparing to introduce a mandatory visitor registration system on the lines of a virtual Inner Line Permit (ILP), requiring tourists and other visitors entering the state to register their details and undergo identity verification before proceeding into the state.
Tourism Minister Timothy D. Shira said the proposed mechanism would function similarly to the ILP system followed in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, though it would not involve issuing a formal permit.
Under the proposed arrangement, all visitors will have to furnish valid identity documents and details about the purpose of their visit at designated registration centres before entering Meghalaya.
The first registration facility will be established at Umling in Ri-Bhoi district, with similar centres planned across the state, including in the Garo Hills region.
According to the minister, the initiative is aimed at creating a comprehensive database of visitors as tourist arrivals continue to rise. Officials said the system would help monitor the movement of visitors, enhance security, improve tourist safety and enable authorities to maintain accurate real-time records of people entering the state.
The government also believes the mechanism will make visitor management more transparent and organised while generating reliable data on tourist inflows.
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Responding to criticism over the inclusion of a food court at the Umling facility, Shira clarified that the complex will have two rooms exclusively dedicated to visitor registration and identity verification.
He said the registration process could take some time, and restaurants have therefore been proposed to provide refreshments and waiting space for tourists during the verification process.
The proposed commercial facilities have, however, drawn opposition from the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), which has issued a virtual stop-work notice. The student body has urged the government to retain the facility solely as a surveillance and facilitation centre rather than allowing commercial activities on the premises.
Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner has held discussions with KSU representatives and appealed to them not to obstruct the ongoing work.
The Umling centre was built as a prefabricated structure at a cost of ₹2.7 crore and inaugurated in 2020 as a key entry point for monitoring movement into Meghalaya. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it served as the state's primary testing centre for people entering through the Jorabat and Byrnihat entry points.
The facility was later handed over to the district administration but was subsequently closed following a court order. The state government has since moved the court seeking modification of those observations as it prepares to operationalise the proposed visitor registration system.
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