SHILLONG, Oct 6: The United Democratic Party (UDP) is calling on the state government to carefully regulate infrastructure development in the New Shillong Township to prevent the issues seen during Shillong’s rapid urban expansion. UDP General Secretary Jemino Mawthoh highlighted the challenges Shillong faces, including traffic congestion, pollution, and inadequate civic amenities, which complicate urban management.
Mawthoh stressed the importance of learning from Shillong’s mistakes, urging that construction in the New Shillong Township strictly adhere to building regulations from the outset to avoid similar problems. He emphasized that existing laws must be enforced diligently to prevent the township from inheriting old Shillong’s difficulties.
The New Shillong Township was envisioned in the 1990s, but remains in development nearly three decades later, despite significant financial investments. The project has seen the state government raise Rs 83.07 crore in premiums from land dealings while spending over Rs 331 crore for land acquisition. The New Shillong Township Development Agency has also received Rs 297.97 crore from the Urban Affairs department for its development.
A recent RTI report disclosed that the government has allocated land in the township to 38 departments, including state bodies and organizations like the CBI, the governments of Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh, and others. So far, 1,722.32 acres have been acquired from various owners since the mid-1990s, with the latest acquisition occurring between 2021 and 2022.
Mawthoh concluded by emphasizing the necessity for vigilant monitoring and proper planning to ensure that New Shillong Township does not replicate the issues faced by its predecessor, advocating for strict adherence to construction laws from the beginning.
Original Story https://theshillongtimes.com/2024/10/07/udp-cautions-govt-on-devp-of-infra-in-nst/
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