Shillong, October 27: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday inaugurated the renovated Pine Wood Banquet Hall at the Pinewood Hotel here, in the presence of Cabinet members. The Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. (MTDC), which carried out the project, said the reopened hall will add much-needed space in Shillong for conferences, cultural programmes, business events and family celebrations as tourist numbers in the State keep growing.
According to MTDC, tourist arrivals in Meghalaya have risen by 50 per cent, from 12 lakh in 2018 to 18 lakh. The State is aiming for 21 lakh by 2028. The corporation said Meghalaya was ranked the most-searched Indian destination on Skyscanner in 2025, drawing visitors from countries such as the USA, UK, Germany, Israel and Australia. The State’s tourism budget has grown nine-fold, from ₹40 crore in FY 2021 to ₹359 crore in FY 2027.
The State also wants visitors to stay longer, raising the average stay from two days to five. MTDC said this depends on good venues and experiences in Shillong itself, and that restored properties such as Pinewood help meet the growing demand for quality accommodation, conferences and cultural events. MTDC plans to keep the hall busy throughout the year with a mix of Government programmes, conferences, exhibitions, cultural performances, business meetings and social functions. The corporation said regular events would provide work for cooks, servers, musicians, photographers, technicians and guides, bring in revenue for Pinewood, and strengthen Shillong’s hospitality sector. It added that the project would open new opportunities for local entrepreneurs and service providers.
The hall’s traditional timber-and-mud construction called for careful work, MTDC said, with the aim of keeping as much of the original building as possible. Over several months, the building was opened up piece by piece. New beams and roof trusses were built alongside the old ones, and new walls were put up to enclose the renewed framework. This allowed the hall to be rebuilt with minimal change to its original form. One key change was raising the ceiling back to its original height, restoring the hall’s proportions and creating a more spacious interior. The design makes use of the building’s large windows and timber detailing. The interior uses wood, rattan and lime plaster with handcrafted pendant lights. Existing flooring has been reused where possible, and the hall now has lighting controls, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and audiovisual facilities. The hall has also been connected to the lawn outside, so organisers can use both indoor and outdoor spaces for receptions and celebrations when the weather allows. The hotel’s restaurant will serve both diners and guests attending events.
MTDC said the restored hall would once again be a place where decisions are discussed, talent is recognised, culture is showcased and families and institutions mark important occasions. It said the project could set the standard for how public heritage buildings are conserved, managed and used for the benefit of the people of Meghalaya.
