SHILLONG, Nov 26: Following an ultimatum by the hawkers, the state government seems to have put on hold the plan to remove them from Khyndai Lad and make it a pedestrian zone.
Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Tuesday announced that the hawkers would continue to operate from Khyndai Lad as the decision to relocate them would be made when everything is finalised.
His statement was in sharp contrast to Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh’s assertions that the hawkers would be removed from Police Bazar by November-end.
Dhar said the government is in no hurry to relocate the hawkers. “They are our people and I will work together and coordinate with them,” he added.
Pointing out that the government would call the hawkers’ body for a meeting, he said everyone would be taken on board before any decision is made on the matter. He insisted the government would consider the relocation of only the registered hawkers.
The government intends to relocate the hawkers in phases. “It was decided that in the first phase, the hawkers would be relocated to designated vending spaces in the Khyndai Lad and Civil Hospital areas,” a statement issued Tuesday by the Additional Secretary of the Urban Affairs Department said.
“The department expects to notify the vending zones and communicate this information to the eligible hawkers at the earliest,” it said, adding that the hawkers would be given 30 days to relocate after the issuance of certificates.
Stating that the Town Vending Committee (TVC) is in constant touch with the hawkers’ association and is taking every step to ensure the relocation is implemented smoothly, the statement read: “The approved street vending plan will be placed in the public domain shortly.”
The TVC is chaired by the CEO of the Shillong Municipal Board and includes representatives from the deputy commissioner’s office, the police, the Urban Affairs Department, the municipal board, local headmen, the State Urban Livelihood Mission, and hawkers’ associations.
The TVC has conducted 10 meetings to discuss the issues related to street vending and surveys were conducted in 22 localities between December 2023 and January 2024 according to the guidelines provided in the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme in 2023.
The scheme contains the principles for the identification of vending zones and how they shall be notified. It also says how the certificates of vending shall be issued to eligible street vendors.
The Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors’ Association on Monday gave an ultimatum to the government to recall the relocation move. The association asserted that its members will not relocate their businesses.
The hawkers, protesting the government move, kept their businesses open for 24 hours since Saturday and camped in Khyndai Lad in a bid to resist any attempt to evict or relocate them.
