Shillong Faces Challenges: Urban Growth Pressures Hill Station’s Sustainability

ROOPAK GOSWAMI

SHILLONG, JAN 10: Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya and one of India’s iconic hill stations, is reeling under the pressures of rapid, unregulated urban growth, reveals a new study by researchers at North Eastern Hill University. Once a serene British retreat, the city’s unchecked expansion now jeopardizes its ecological balance and livability.

Established in 1864 as a British sanatorium for a modest population of 10,000, Shillong has since transformed dramatically. The Shillong Urban Agglomeration (SUA) now sprawls across 60 square kilometers, accommodating over 350,000 residents. In its wake, peripheral Khasi villages have been absorbed without adequate planning, reflecting the city’s chaotic metamorphosis.

The study, part of F. Phibawanlang Kharpran’s Ph.D. research under the supervision of Subrata Purkayastha used remote sensing, GIS tools, and Shannon entropy analysis to map Shillong’s urban sprawl from 1991 to 2021. Published in Acta Geographica Debrecina, the research reveals alarming trends, particularly in the northeast, where projects like New Shillong Township fuel unregulated growth.

Two Dominant Growth Patterns:

Linear Growth: Ribbon-like expansion along NH-40, connecting Shillong to Guwahati.

Frog-Leap Development: Scattered constructions interspersed with undeveloped land, especially in Mawpat and westward Mawlai.

A Shannon entropy value of 2.06 in 2021 (out of a maximum of 2.30) underscores highly dispersed development in the northeast zone. “Built-up areas are encroaching on forest cover, agricultural fields, and wastelands, fragmenting Shillong’s ecological landscape,” the study warns.

Environmental Toll of Urban Sprawl:

Soil Erosion and Deforestation: Construction on slopes accelerates landslides and deforestation.

Urban Flooding: Poor drainage worsens waterlogging during rains.

Traffic Congestion: Terrain constraints and Sixth Schedule tribal land laws prevent road widening.

Forest Encroachment: Sensitive ecological zones in the south face increasing urban pressure.

Traditional Khasi villages absorbed into the SUA are left without basic infrastructure, illustrating the pitfalls of haphazard urbanization. Ironically, New Shillong Township, meant to alleviate congestion in the city center, has exacerbated development in environmentally fragile zones, while peripheral census towns remain underdeveloped.

Call for Sustainable Urban Planning

The study highlights an urgent need for sustainable planning to mitigate Shillong’s urban sprawl, recommending:

Restricting construction in ecologically sensitive areas.
Improving public transport and waste management systems.
Fostering collaboration among planners, policymakers, and local communities for tailored solutions.
The picture shows the distribution of built-up areas in Shillong Urban Agglomeration for different periods. The distribution of built-up area is shown in concentric buffer zones of 1km intervals from the city centre (the earliest settlement of the region) and how it spreads in four cardinal direction zones.

These findings echo Niti Aayog’s 2021 report advocating integrated urban planning for Shillong’s unique challenges. Periodic feedback mechanisms are suggested to refine development strategies.

From colonial retreat to burgeoning urban hub, Shillong’s trajectory mirrors the broader challenges faced by India’s hill cities. However, this growth comes at a steep ecological cost. Without immediate intervention, Shillong risks becoming a stark warning of how unchecked urbanization can dismantle a fragile environment.

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