Rs 42.17-Cr skywalk coming soon to Meghalaya's Mawkdok

Shillong, Nov 16: Union Minister of Development of North East region (DoNER) Jyotiraditya Scindia and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma formally announced the skywalk project in Mawkdok on Friday evening.

The announcement was made to a boisterous crowd on the first day of the ongoing Cherry Blossom festival at Bhoirymbong.

Tourists can brace themselves for a once-in-a-lifetime, nerve-wracking walk over a skywalk (possibly glass) across the gorge in Mawkdok once the project is completed.

The skywalk, which has been conceptualised by the Meghalaya Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (MIDFC), will be implemented under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for the North East Region (PM-DevINE) Scheme at a total cost of Rs. 42.17 crore.

The proposed skywalk deck would be 2195 square metres and a glass bridge would also be built so that tourists can get their adrenaline pumping, just like some in China.

This project proposal was approved by the Eight Empowered Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting earlier this year and a detailed report was to be submitted to the Ministry of DoNER by the state government.

The state has some skywalks built by private entrepreneurs with the help of the tourism department such as the bamboo skywalk at Mawlynnong village and at Nohwet village about 3 km away from Mawlynnong.

A skywalk from Khyndiald (Police Bazaar) to Barik Point has also been proposed by the state government, which would be built at an estimated cost of Rs. 25 crores.

Highlighting the importance of tourism for Meghalaya’s economy, Sangma expressed optimism that the DoNER Ministry would continue to support the region to promote tourism.

Mawkdok is the halfway mark to Sohra or Cherrapunjee. Currently there is a zip line that takes adventure-seekers zipping across the gorge and there are some public amenities like toilet restaurants in the area. All these amenities would also get a facelift under the project.

Apart from the skywalk, the state is also preparing to build a ropeway at Shillong Peak at a cost to be built at a cost of Rs. 58.79. This project has been conceptualised by the state tourism department.