SHILLONG: The State Government has asserted that it will not go for any more land acquisition in the New Shillong Township (NST) until and unless the new land acquisition act comes into force.
Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Friday said the land acquisition process has been put on hold pending the approval and implementation of the new land acquisition act.
“This pause in the land acquisition process will also give us an opportunity to evaluate the position of the New Shillong Township,” Lyngdoh added.
The minister, however, made it clear that a temporary halt to the land acquisition process would not delay the NST project since it is an ongoing project and the State Government can expand the project as soon as necessary funds are available.
According to the minister, the State Government has to acquire land in compliance with the provisions of the new land transfer act which is why the land acquisition process would commence only after the Act gets the Parliament seal of approval.
Taking into account the congestion in the city, the proposed New Shillong Township is perhaps the only way forward, even if temporarily, to resolve the problems. Though the land acquisition for the project started way back in 1995, the township is yet to take proper shape.
The State Government has so far acquired 370.266 hectares  of land at a total cost of Rs.33.73 crore and is contemplating to acquire more land at a total budget of over Rs.800 crore.
As per statistics, the State Government acquired 101.79 hectares of land in 1995-96, 17.20 hectares in 1998-99, 131.16 hectares in 2003-04 and 120.11 hectares in 2006-07.
