Meghalaya launches online booking system for state guest houses

Booking accommodation at Meghalaya Houses across the country has moved online after the state government launched a digital reservation system on March 11, replacing the earlier manual process.

The system allows citizens and government officials to reserve rooms, dormitories and conference halls at Meghalaya Houses through an online portal. Facilities covered under the system are located in Delhi, Mumbai, Vellore, Kolkata and Guwahati.

The platform has been developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Meghalaya, as part of efforts to strengthen digital governance and improve access to state-run accommodation facilities.

General Administration Department minister Sosthenes Sohtun launched the system at an event attended by officials from the department, representatives of NIC and administrators of Meghalaya Houses in different cities.

According to officials, the portal enables users to apply for accommodation using an SMS-based OTP login, check availability and receive updates on application status through SMS alerts.

The system also integrates digital payments through the Government Receipt Accounting System (GRAS) gateway, allowing transactions via UPI, debit and credit cards, and online banking.

Meghalaya Houses function as state guest facilities and are frequently used by government officials, students and citizens travelling outside the state for official work, medical treatment and other purposes.

Authorities said the digital platform introduces a structured approval workflow and a centralised dashboard for administrators to monitor bookings, occupancy and revenue, replacing paper-based registers previously used to manage reservations.

Officials added that the system is expected to reduce administrative workload and improve transparency while helping the government track usage patterns of the facilities.