SHILLONG, Feb 7: Established by the KHADC to inspect trucks entering the state under the provisions of the Trading by Non-Tribals Regulation, 1954, two illegal checkpoints set up by the Council at Mawkhanu have been directed to be shut down by East Khasi Hills District Magistrate RM Kurbah.
The District Magistrate has directed East Khasi Hills district police chief Vivek Syiem to instruct the Diengpasoh police station to shut down the two illegal checkpoints.
In an order issued on February 4, the District Magistrate stated that it had come to her attention that the KHADC had illegally constructed these checkpoints at Mawkhanu to monitor trading activities by non-tribal traders.
She emphasised that the state government has adopted a “Zero Tolerance” policy against illegal toll collection, unauthorised checkpoints, or any forcible collection from vehicles traveling on national highways, state highways, and major district roads in East Khasi Hills. Kurbah noted that such unauthorised toll gates and barriers obstruct the smooth flow of traffic, causing inconvenience to road users and posing safety hazards that could lead to accidents. Citing a letter from the District Council Affairs (DCA) department dated January 29, 2023, she reiterated that toll gates or checkpoints on national highways and major district roads cannot operate without the necessary approval from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the state government.
“Therefore, to prevent revenue leakage, I hereby strongly prohibit unauthorised toll collection at any checkpoint or toll gate, as well as any form of forcible collection along national highways, state highways, and major district roads in East Khasi Hills,” the District Magistrate stated.
Exercising the powers conferred under Section 163 of the BNSS, Kurbah issued this order prohibiting toll collection across the district. She warned that any violations would be dealt with strictly under legal provisions. Given the urgency of the matter, the order was issued ex-parte and took immediate effect until further notice.
The District Magistrate’s directive followed a complaint by VPP MLA Heavingstone Kharpran on February 3. In a letter to Kurbah, Kharpran had reported that during his recent inspection of the Shillong Bypass, he noticed two signboards at Mawkhanu village displaying: “Check Point for Trading by Non-Tribal Traders, issued by KHADC, Shillong.”
