Latest news with #British-era
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Dine behind bars: Historic police station in Meghalaya reimagined as a cafe
In the misty hills of Sohra (Cherrapunji), Meghalaya, a 140-year-old colonial-era police station has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind dining destination. Belovedly, it's named as Sohra 1885. Once known as a 'dreaded detention centre' during British rule, this heritage building now invites visitors to enjoy a meal behind bars. Literally. This very initiative, led by Meghalaya Police and conceptualized by Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, aims to preserve the state's architectural legacy and supporting police welfare, on the other hand. Entrepreneur Nafi Nongrum spearheaded the restoration, retaining original British-era elements like the fireplace and flooring, while converting the lock-up area into a quirky dining space. The café, reportedly, offers seating for up to 100 guests approximately, and features a diverse menu. Visitors can experience the thrill of dining in refurbished jail cells, making it a must-visit for both foodies and history enthusiasts. Sohra 1885 proves to be not just 'a' cafe, but a creative blend of heritage, hospitality, and history, offering one of a kind experience, surrounded by one of India's most scenic locales. Similar cafés like this: Written by: Rajlekha Roy Burman
NDTV
6 hours ago
- General
- NDTV
Police Station Turned Into Restaurant: This Meghalaya Cafe Lets You Dine Inside A 'Jail'
Ever wondered what it feels like to dine inside a jail? Do not worry - the food is nothing like prison meals, but the ambience might surprise you. While jail-themed restaurants exist in various cities, this one stands out. A new cafe has opened in Sohra (Cherrapunjee), Meghalaya, inside a building that once functioned as a real police station. Established in 1885, it is the oldest of its kind in the state and was known as a "dreaded detention centre" during colonial times, according to PTI. Now, it has been transformed into a heritage cafe called "Sohra 1885", complete with a refurbished lock-up area offering a unique 'jail dining' experience. The initiative has been led by the Meghalaya Police. The concept was proposed by Vivek Syiem, the current Superintendent of Police in East Khasi Hills. He had first pitched the idea when he was serving as a Deputy Superintendent of Police in the area. "I always wanted to do something with the heritage police station. There are not many such buildings left in the state that have so much history," he told PTI. Profits from the cafe will reportedly go towards police welfare. The cafe is a collaboration with Nafi Nongrum, a young entrepreneur. She took on the restoration using several British-era artefacts from the original police station, as per PTI. The walls have been preserved in their original form, while the rest of the structure has been upgraded for comfort and safety. "Even the fireplace has been renovated to its old glory. The floors have been left to their original state as they are still in very good condition," Syiem said. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lily Sawian (@ Batskhem Thabah, a customer at the cafe, said, "We really enjoyed our time in the lockup, which has been converted into a dining area." The cafe also offers additional seating, accommodating up to 100 guests in total. The multi-cuisine menu includes comfort food like pizza, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, and momos, along with popular dishes from Mexican, Indo-Chinese, South Indian, and North Indian cuisines.
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
From cell to cafe: 140-year-old police station-turned-coffee shop in Meghalaya serves visitors in lockup
SOHRA: A 140-year-old police station in Meghalaya's Sohra has undergone a transformation into a trendy cafe, offering delectable and lip-smacking food to visitors at the world's wettest place. Established in 1885, the Sohra police station's erstwhile building is the oldest such facility in Meghalaya, and it had been a dreaded detention centre during the British rule. But now, 'Sohra 1885', or as the cafe is known, has become a hotspot for foodies and tourists. It offers a unique blend of history and hospitality, as the eatery allows visitors to have their favourite food in lockups turned into a dining area. The profit made from the establishment is being given for police welfare. All credit goes to the rank and file of the Meghalaya Police, who supported an idea pitched by East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem when he was a DSP in the area. "I always wanted to do something with the heritage police station. There are not many such buildings left in the state that have so much of history," he told PTI. "I pitched this idea when I was a DSP," he said, adding that he knew all along that this heritage site would attract a lot of visitors. Soon after, the government started the process of constructing a new police station building to accommodate more personnel, the process of monetising the heritage police station also began. "Monetisation meant extra income for the force and especially for police welfare activities," Syiem said, adding that two years ago a formal bidding process for the cafe began to finalise a partner for running the show. The new partner, a young entrepreneur, proposed designs to match the heritage building and aptly named the cafe 'Sohra 1885'. Nafi Nongrum, the business partner, refurbished the entire building using the British-era items from the old police station. "We have converted the lockups into a dining area. The visitors are enjoying the ambience," she said. The SP said the business partner has done a great job in restoring the old building, leaving the walls and floors as they were. "Even the fireplace has been renovated to its old glory. The floors have been left to their original state as they are still in very good condition," Syiem said. According to Nongrum, a 200 kg safe was also refurbished, repainted and polished. He said the cafe has a seating capacity of 100 people. Since its official inauguration on May 22, the cafe has become a new hit among the locals and visitors alike. Batskhem Thabah, one of the patrons at the cafe, said, "We really enjoyed our time in the lockup which has been converted into a dining area."
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Visitors get to dine in lockup at 140-year-old police station-turned-cafe in Meghalaya
Sohra , A 140-year-old police station in Meghalaya's Sohra has undergone a transformation into a trendy cafe, offering delectable and lip-smacking food to visitors at the world's wettest place. Established in 1885, the Sohra police station's erstwhile building is the oldest such facility in Meghalaya, and it had been a dreaded detention centre during the British rule. But now, 'Sohra 1885', or as the cafe is known, has become a hotspot for foodies and tourists. It offers a unique blend of history and hospitality, as the eatery allows visitors to have their favourite food in lockups turned into a dining area. The profit made from the establishment is being given for police welfare. All credit goes to the rank and file of the Meghalaya Police, who supported an idea pitched by East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem when he was a DSP in the area. 'I always wanted to do something with the heritage police station. There are not many such buildings left in the state that have so much of history,' he told PTI. 'I pitched this idea when I was a DSP,' he said, adding that he knew all along that this heritage site would attract a lot of visitors. Soon after, the government started the process of constructing a new police station building to accommodate more personnel, the process of monetising the heritage police station also began. 'Monetisation meant extra income for the force and especially for police welfare activities,' Syiem said, adding that two years ago a formal bidding process for the cafe began to finalise a partner for running the show. The new partner, a young entrepreneur, proposed designs to match the heritage building and aptly named the cafe 'Sohra 1885'. Nafi Nongrum, the business partner, refurbished the entire building using the British-era items from the old police station. 'We have converted the lockups into a dining area. The visitors are enjoying the ambience,' she said. The SP said the business partner has done a great job in restoring the old building, leaving the walls and floors as they were. 'Even the fireplace has been renovated to its old glory. The floors have been left to their original state as they are still in very good condition,' Syiem said. According to Nongrum, a 200 kg safe was also refurbished, repainted and polished. He said the cafe has a seating capacity of 100 people. Since its official inauguration on May 22, the cafe has become a new hit among the locals and visitors alike. Batskhem Thabah, one of the patrons at the cafe, said, "We really enjoyed our time in the lockup which has been converted into a dining area.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Road Caves In, Compound Wall Crashes, House Saved By Metres
Nagpur: A 100m stretch of road in Subhan Nagar, Pardi, once again caved in due to the failure of a massive, British-era trunk sewer line running beneath it. This has created a major safety hazard, filling local residents with uncertainty. The latest cave-in also brought down the compound wall and main gate of a bungalow owned by the Khemnani family, with residents narrowly escaping harm. The collapse, which occurred two days ago, is just the latest in a series of infrastructure failures in the area. Locals say the signs were evident: over a period of three years, two breaches in the same 1,200mm diameter trunk sewer line have been reported. However, only superficial patchwork was carried out by Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) public health engineering (PHE) department. With the arrival of the monsoon, rainwater began seeping into the soil, weakening the already fragile ground and accelerating the collapse. "This is a British-era pipeline. Its joints deteriorated over time, and internal settlement of the pipe causes repeated collapses," said Sanjay Mate, executive engineer of NMC's Lakadganj zone, who confirmed that excavation is underway to access the damaged section. "We earlier replaced two pipes here, but the stretch behind them has now given way. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Making history: These 5 timepieces set world records at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2025 CNA Read More Undo The compound wall that collapsed was sitting on a friction pile, which became unstable during the excavation," he added. According to Mate, the situation is being treated as an emergency. Work is going on to lay new pipes adjacent to the damaged line, and the area around the affected property is being secured. He reassured that the Khemnani bungalow itself, located around 10–15 feet from the damaged zone, is currently not at risk, and access routes for the residents are being maintained. "We carried out major repairs in 2022 and some five months ago too. This marks the third such collapse in the same zone," Mate admitted. "The end pressure on the tail end of this line is very high, and without an alternative sewer line in place, we're unable to fully replace it at once. We do have a long-term plan to overhaul the entire stretch, but it can't be executed until an alternative line is commissioned." Former corporator Pradip Pohane, who visited the site, expressed concern over the repeated collapses. "This is not an isolated issue. Cracks and subsidence have been reported multiple times, and the authorities failed to take preventive action. Now, even the soil beneath homes and parking areas is giving way," he said. Sources in the PHE department identified at least five vulnerable points along the same sewer line in the Subhan Nagar area, indicating that the problem may be far more widespread than currently visible. Residents are demanding immediate, permanent repairs and a complete overhaul of the century-old sewer infrastructure. They fear that continued reliance on ad-hoc solutions — especially during the monsoon — may soon lead to catastrophic damage. "This is not just about inconvenience. Our lives and homes are at stake," a local resident said. "We need action before another collapse puts lives in danger."
