While the State government in the past had stated that New Shillong was created to decongest Shillong by shifting all offices and institutions to the new township, the MDA cabinet today revealed that industries would also be set up in New Shillong.
The cabinet approved amendments of the Meghalaya building by-laws to regulate building of industrial units.
Speaking to media persons after the cabinet meeting, cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh said the amendment of the building by-laws was to categorise the industrial zones in the New Shillong township.
“In areas like Mawkhanu and areas like Mawkasiang, we will have these industrial zones and within areas already acquired by the government of Meghalaya,” he said.
He added, “The amendment is broadly to facilitate the need to categorise the industrial zones as categorisation was not done earlier and it involves the amendment of the building bylaws for these industrial zones.”
Lyngdoh also said that the amended by-laws would be applicable in designated industrial estates across Meghalaya because the urbanisation is an ever ongoing process and it is expanding.
“The cabinet decided in view of the growing urbanisation and the emergence of new urban centres so within these industrial zones and estates, the categorisation of these buildings and their applicability of the by-laws will be extended to those industrial zones. These are all for the industrial estates/zones and wherever such activities are taking place. So right now New Shillong is the immediate point of attention but it will be across the State wherever such industrial estates are being created,” he said.