With opposition coming in from a section of residents and other stakeholders on the move to relocate hawkers from Laitumkhrah to Veronica Lane, local MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh today said the government is willing to scrap the plan.
She stated that the “good” plan was laid through a consultation with the dorbar shnong, the deputy commissioner and the vendor’s committee. “If people are saying no, why will the MLA go against their wishes? I have proposed, but if nobody will dispose then we will scrap the program,” Lyngdoh told reporters on the sidelines of a programme.
The government, with the backing of Lyngdoh, plans to shift hawkers occupying space from the Police Point roundabout to Laitumkhrah beat house to Lady Veronica Lane, which is adjacent to the main road.
The lane houses Bethany Society, Mary Rice Centre for Special Education, Bansara Eye Care Centre, Jyoti Sroat School, Asian Confluence and is also an entry point for St Edmund’s College.
Under the plan, 89 hawkers will be allotted space on the footpath running on one side of the lane, which is primarily used by school students, people with disabilities and the infirm.
“I have nothing to say if the people who lived along the Veronica lane don’t want this to happen. I have tried and proposed. I wished they could have met with the Dorbar Shnong before they expressed this unwillingness but they went directly to the press,” Lyngdoh said.
She stated that the plan was to close the lane during school hours and provide special passes to people with disabilities and the infirm. “If the people travelling to Laitumkhrah and residents are going to allow this, let’s go for it. But if everybody objects then like every other thing that we plan goes for a six then no problem,” she retorted.
