Wednesday, April 2, 2025

‘Building laws hold key to smart city success’

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SHILLONG: The Opposition on Thursday feared that the implementation of building bye-laws by multiple agencies without any convergence may affect the Shillong smart city project of the Centre.
Moving a motion on the need for “convergence in matters of safety, long-term planning ad aesthetics while implementing the building bye-laws by the State government and the ADCs of  the state”,  Paul Lyngdoh (UDP) said that it is amusing to see that the State Government and the district council in Khasi Hills are at loggerheads over the implementation of  building bye-laws.
In this context, the UDP legislator said that the smart city project can be a pipe dream unless there is strong will to implement  and  enforce  building bye-laws.

Lyngdoh said that looking at so many authorities and multiple agencies dealing with building bye-laws, there is a need to have a convergence by these bodies to ensure safety of the buildings coupled with aesthetics.
According to Lyngdoh, Shillong has merged as concrete jungle with lack of planning. “Shillong is jungle as far the rule of law is concerned. Motphran has turned out to be garbage dump and other  parts of the city are also congested”, he  said.
The UDP member said that  if one considers Shillong which is spread over 10 square kilometers, there are multiple agencies like Shillong Municipal Board, Syiem of Mylliem and Cantonment.
H also pointed out  while there is Greater Shillong area with  174 square kilometers  consisting census towns, there areas of mining and industrial belts with high rise buildings are still beyond the enforcement  of building bye laws.
According to Lyngdoh, while the genesis of the problem was the ruling of the High Court of Meghalaya stripping the powers of headmen,  the subsequent tussle between the State Government and KHADC on the implementation of building bye laws has created confusion.
Taking part in the motion, , P N Syiem ( Cong) said that there are  several laws passed by the State government   which are in conflict with  laws passed by KHADC creating confusion which needs to be addressed by all concerned.
Jemino Mawthoh ( UDP) said that  people are the worst sufferers due to the stand-off  between the State Government and KHADC. He asked the Government  to ensure that when the smart city project is launched, there should not be any confusion as far as areas of operations are concerned  under the project to be supervised by MUDA. “Otherwise the project will remain as pipe dream”, he added.
Metbah Lyngdoh ( UDP), while taking part in the discussion, wanted to know the infrastructure developments of towns including Mairang.
In her reply, the Urban and Municipal Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh  assured that  the department   was committed to address  problems  while may arise while executing the MUDA building  bye-laws.

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