Shillong, Mar 16 : The Meghalaya government has
decided to constitute a committee to negotiate with the
re-transferring "excess" defence land here for expansion of
Shillong.
Transfer of defence land would help expansion of Shillong
and for upgradation of the only airport at Umroi, Chief
Minister Mukul Sangma told the Assembly today.
He said that Shillong with approximately 0.5 million
people and the highest person-vehicle ratio was growing at a
staggering 32.38 per cent.
"The state government is asking for a portion less than
five per cent of the approximate 2000 acre of land under
possession by the defence establishment in Meghalaya," he
said.
Sangma said the committee would be constituted within the
ongoing budget session to study the quantum of land the
defence establishments occupied and to recommend re-transfer.
The Defence Minister had written to the state government
in November last year stating that a senior defence ministry
official was entrusted to examine the matter, after he took up
the issue with the prime minister and defence minister.
He said re-transfer of land occupied by the defence
establishments was of "utmost urgency" to build flyovers to
ease the flow of traffic and civil establishments.
About 38 acre of defence land at Umroi in Ri-bhoi district
was required to expand the runway for larger aircraft to land,
he said.
The state government also intended to seek re-transfer of
the Garrison Ground and its adjoining hillock in the heart of
the state capital.
Former Chief Minister D D Lapang said the issue of
re-transfer of land held by defence authorities had been
pending for too long and suggested formation of a house
committee to approach the Defence Ministry.