Shillong Urban Strategy

LSE Cities has been appointed by the Government of Meghalaya to conduct an urban strategy review for Shillong, the state capital. Originally designed for 300,000 people, Shillong now faces infrastructure challenges driven by rapid urbanisation. The Government of Meghalaya has developed a multi-nodal development strategy centred on three interconnected hubs: the existing city of Shillong, where innovation is supposed to meet cultural heritage; New Shillong City, a new administrative hub 10km away that will house the Legislative Assembly and Secretariat; and New Shillong Knowledge City, a hub focused on cultural-sports hospitality and knowledge ecosystems.

LSE Cities is conducting research to review Shillong's urban strategy and provide an overview of international best practices. The research focus on three areas:

• Urban mobility, particularly the integration of sustainable transport solutions including public transport and non-motorised transport
• Design frameworks which integrate cultural uses and other development infrastructure across the new urban hubs
• Quality of life strategies, centred around translating existing nature resources into blue-green infrastructure.

The research is reinforced through relevant international case studies, and an expert visit to Shillong to meet with officials and observe key sites.

As a result of the research, LSE Cities will design and deliver an Executive five-day training programme in London for selected government officials from Meghalaya's urban development department and other relevant officers. The programme will be tailored to address the specific challenges identified during the research phase and will cover topics including urban transport, infrastructure development, governance, planning and urban design, and urban transitions. Participants will attend expert-led sessions and visit major London regeneration and infrastructure projects for classroom and practical reference. The training is designed to transfer knowledge and build local capacity among those responsible for implementing Shillong’s urban strategy.