ANNOUNCEMENTS
Master plans are the legal frameworks or instruments by the urban local governments or the development authorities for anticipating the urban development and provisions such as land-use allocation, development regulations, zoning and the provision of civic amenities. However, the development and zoning regulations are part and parcel of a city for planned development and urban growth. Hilly cities like Shillong are situated in the mid-hill regions and have undergone tremendous development pressure due to population growth, rapid urbanization, massive tourist influx, migration from neighbouring villages due to increased job production and better living standards. The city has grown many times more than its design and carrying capacity and has pressure on residential, commercial, public health, recreational, open spaces and the existing land-use functions. Shillong and its residents are facing worsening living standards and the climate with poverty, overcrowding, water shortages, contamination of lakes and streams and loss of scenic beauty due to the growing demand for more land and unparalleled growth. The hilly regions are the most critical and challenging terrains to carry out the development regulations and the land-use zoning as the regions are constrained by climatic condition, geographical condition, sloping gradients, flora and fauna etc. This study discusses the existing land-use function of the Shillong city, the issues related to future development and the role of sustainable land-use planning. Moreover, this study has been focussed on the preparation of development control regulations and zoning plan for Shillong planning area. An algorithm or rational model has been prepared through the entire study for the benefit of the city and its citizens considering the different aspects, slope, local economy and the terrain factor.
Keywords: Land-use, Zoning, Services, Development, Hilly-area.
