Hawkers evicted from GS Road

SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills district magistrates, police and staff of the Shillong Municipal Board on Monday removed hawkers who had set up business on the chaotic G.S. Road throwing caution to the wind. The High Court of Meghalaya last year ordered an interim stay on eviction of hawkers in the city till a pending writ petition in this regard is disposed of and instructed the authorities not to remove or evict hawkers. “It was not an eviction drive as there is a high court order. The magistrates went there today to ensure that the hawkers don’t sit right on the road,” East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner P.S. Dkhar said, while adding that the step was taken for the safety of the hawkers. It may be mentioned that the hawkers, right from G.S. Road till Motphran, have encroached right up to the road, not only risking their own lives but also posing grave dangers for the passers-by and pedestrians. The situation is worse at the Motphran junction that has been overrun by hawkers who have set up shop right on the road without any care for the vehicles or traffic rules.