SHILLONG: Shillongities will soon heave a sigh of relief from the menace of hawkers as Government is presently giving final touches to the much-awaited Hawkers Policy.
A high-level source on Saturday informed that once ready policy will be placed before the Cabinet for approval.
The proposed policy safeguards the rights of the hawkers and also defines the role of the government in their approach to the hawkers’ issue, the source said.
This policy would also highlight certain demarcated areas in the city which can be converted into a hawker-free zone.
Among the most prominent areas of the city, which are overrun by hawkers is the GS Road (from Motphran till Khyndai Lad point).
Hundreds of hawkers are seen opening up their makeshift stalls right from Motphran till Khyndailad which causes obstruction to the movement of the pedestrians.
Shillongites, for the past many years, have witnessing a ‘cat and mouse’ fight between the administration (Shillong Municipal Board) and the hawkers, but till date, no solution to the problem has surfaced.
While the Government was hoping to reduce the menace of hawkers through Hawkers policy, but the unavailability of land to relocate the hawkers seems to have landed the policy into a bit of bother.