Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Meghalaya minister Sanbor Shullai is pushing for new building bye-laws in Shillong Cantonment. The Ministry of Defence released the draft regulations earlier this month. Residents now have until August 3 to submit suggestions or formal objections. The ministry will review this feedback before issuing the final notification.
Construction has been a mess for decades. Residents lacked a regulatory framework since 1989. The trouble started when the Congress-led state government set a Floor Space Index of 0.5. This limit made expanding or updating property nearly impossible. Shullai says the new rules will finally bring legal order to military quarters.
Shullai, the local MLA, claims these rules fix civic infrastructure issues. He spent years lobbying for the change. He travelled to New Delhi multiple times with BJP leaders to press the Union government. He also sat through grueling meetings, some lasting over eight hours, to clear technical hurdles alongside the Shillong Cantonment Board and the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority.
The minister plans to meet with the local leaseholders association to gather community input before the August deadline. He believes this is a major win for the area. "Significant step towards resolving decades-old issues faced by residents," Shullai stated regarding the draft. Officials will send the final suggestions to the Ministry of Defence after the consultation period closes.
Comments