Shillong: In the wake of the recent disappearance of a tourist couple in Meghalaya, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit has called for urgent digital reforms in the tourism sector to enhance safety, transparency, and monitoring.
BJP Meghalaya General Secretary Wankitbok Pohshna stated that the incident has highlighted significant gaps in the current tourism infrastructure and security protocols.
Emphasising the importance of aligning the state with the national vision of Digital India, the party has urged the state government to implement robust digital systems across all tourism touchpoints.
The BJP proposes that all tourism-related accommodations — including hotels, resorts, guesthouses, homestays, and service apartments — be registered with a designated government agency.
This would facilitate mandatory digital check-ins through mobile applications or QR code systems, enabling real-time monitoring of tourist movements.
“This system is vital not just for streamlining tourism services, but also from a security standpoint, allowing the government to maintain an accurate database of all visitors,” Pohshna said.
The party also recommended that CCTV surveillance be made compulsory at all lodging establishments to capture guest entry and exit in real time.
For remote regions where mobile connectivity remains patchy, BJP Meghalaya has suggested installing Wi-Fi or satellite-linked communication systems at police outposts and tourist information centres to ensure uninterrupted emergency response capabilities.
Furthermore, the BJP has called for the strategic placement of tourist information centres near all major tourist destinations to ensure that visitors are never left without assistance.
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In light of the missing tourist couple from Madhya Pradesh, the state BJP has urged the Meghalaya Government to seek additional support from the central government, including both manpower and technological assistance, to intensify the search efforts.
“Every member of the BJP Meghalaya unit continues to hope and pray for the safe return of the missing tourists,” the statement concluded.
