By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 29: The Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) has submitted before the High Court of Meghalaya that an endeavour will be made to relocate all the hawkers by March 30, 2026.
During a hearing of a PIL relating to hawkers’ relocation, S Dey, counsel for the SMB, further submitted that claims and objections with respect to the hawkers will be dealt with on or before February 15, 2026 and that an endeavour will be made to relocate all the hawkers by March 30.
Dey filed an affidavit before the court submitting that the process of verification of hawkers is ongoing. He further stated that some of the hawkers have been relocated and sought time to furnish a chart of the hawkers who have been relocated.
The counsel for one of the petitioners stated that although the hawkers have been removed from some of the areas, the SMB has permitted parking on roads i.e., pay and park as a result of which the problem of traffic continues to be the same.
Appearing for the state government, Additional Advocate General (AAG) Tshering Yangi B. stated that she will take instructions with respect to what is stated by the counsel appearing for the petitioners.
Considering the remedial measures that need to be taken with respect to congestion/traffic jam, the AAG sought time to file an affidavit giving details with respect to the progress and the steps taken by the government.
“The said affidavit will be filed within three weeks with an advance copy to the learned counsel for the petitioners and other respondents,” a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh, ordered.
The next hearing will be held on February 24, 2026.
It may be added that the state government is relocating hawkers to designated vending zones.
After relocating hawkers from Khyndai Lad last year, the government relocated 29 vendors from Shillong Civil Hospital to designated stalls inside the PWD complex at Barik.
