SHILLONG: Meghalaya’s Urban Affairs Minister, Hamlet Dohling who conducted an inspection of the congested Police Bazar area on Tuesday opined that the oil depot of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) located on Quinton Road could be turned into a vending zone for the hawkers.
The Urban Affairs Minister along with the officers of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) and District Administration conducted an inspection of the ever increasing congestion in Police Bazar
The Minister at first found that the two wheeler parking lot right at the heart of Kyndailad was allowing two wheelers to parked even outside its jurisdiction and on the road which was leading to congestion.
After the intervention of the Minister, the people looking after the parking lot were quick to remove the two wheelers from the main road
Later, the Minister also inspected the hawkers who were sitting right on the middle of the road in Police Bazar stretch besides those hawkers who have made a beeline in front of the OB shopping mall and are sitting right next to the road.
During inspection, many of the hawkers told the Minister that they were not registered with vending committees while some vendors blamed non-tribal hawkers for the congestion.
There were also some hawkers who did not had any document to prove their resident status in Meghalaya as some of them showed EPIC from Bihar and West Bengal. However, there were a few hawkers who possessed EPIC from Meghalaya.
The Minister told all the hawkers that they have to register themselves. The Minister also found that some shopkeepers in Police Bazar have extended their temporary stall much beyond their allotted space jurisdiction thereby clogging the stretch.
The Minister also visited Quinton road and found that the oil depot of the MTC which was under lock, can be an idle vending zone.
Speaking to media persons after the inspection, Dohling said that oil depot of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation located on Quinton Road could be turned into a vending zone for the hawkers and the matter would be taken up with the Transport department
Stating that the matter is pending before the Court, he also said that the issue of congestion would be discussed in a meeting scheduled to be held on Wednesday which would be attended by Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, DGP and others.
The Minister also intends to conduct similar inspection at Motphran area which too remains clogged with hawkers, pedestrians and vehicles.
