SHILLONG, July 13: After 37 years of a developmental standstill that left residents trapped in 1980s infrastructure, the Shillong Cantonment is set to adopt new building bye-laws, potentially ending a decades-long deadlock between local housing needs and Ministry of Defence regulations.
Since 1989, the area has been restricted by a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 0.5. This policy effectively froze vertical growth, leaving families unable to expand homes and preventing the safe retrofitting of aging structures. Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai on Monday confirmed that the Ministry of Defence has now published the draft building bye-laws in a Gazette notification dated July 3, 2026.
The development opens a critical 30-day window for public participation. Residents and stakeholders have until August 3 to submit objections or suggestions regarding the draft.
Shullai stated he will soon convene a meeting with the Lease Holders’ Association to consolidate resident feedback before the deadline. These proposals will be forwarded to the Ministry of Defence for consideration before the final notification is issued.
The Minister noted that the draft follows prolonged negotiations between the Cantonment Board, state urban development engineers, and the Union government to resolve technical hurdles. Once implemented, the updated bye-laws are expected to modernise the area’s infrastructure and ease construction-related restrictions that have persisted for nearly four decades.
Shullai expressed gratitude to Shillong Cantonment Board President Rajesh Verma, former Chief Executive Officer Ayush Maurya, nominated ward member Bipen Pradhan, and engineers from the Cantonment Board and the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) for their efforts in preparing the draft building bye-laws.
