Acquisition of land for NST put on hold

Parliament nod to new land transfer Act awaited

SHILLONG: The State Government has temporarily put the land acquisition process for New Shillong Township (NST) on hold pending the approval of the new land transfer Act in Parliament.
Speaking to reporters, Urban Affairs minister Ampareen Lyngdoh informed that the Government decided to discontinue the land acquisition process in view of the new land transfer Act which is likely to be approved during the upcoming budget session of Parliament.
The move of the urban Affairs department, however, is yet to get Chief Minister Mukul Sangma’s approval.
Stating that the  new land transfer Act  speaks about certain parameters that need to be taken under consideration during transactions with the owners, Lyngdoh feared that the interest rates would be very high if land under negotiations are stalled for a long period of time.
“Deputy Commissioner will re-work and re-negotiate with the land owners once the new land transfer Act comes into force,” Lyngdoh said.
According to her, the State Government has to acquire land in compliance with the provisions of the new land transfer Act and therefore Government is keen to start the land acquisition process afresh once the new Act gets Parliament’s seal.
Lyngdoh has already approached the Centre with a request to develop the proposed NST as a smart  city.
A major focal point of the ‘Smart City Scheme’ is to address the growing demand of urban infrastructure through upgradation of infrastructure in both satellite and existing towns.
The idea for NST was mooted to de-congest the over clogged Shillong city.