While some hawkers in Khyndailad are confused or unsure about the plan to move 200 of them to the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) complex, cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh has assured today that groups representing hawkers were very much part of the exercise to identify suitable zones for them to carry out their trade.
Lyngdoh, the Tourism and Social Welfare Minister, also said that hawkers unsure about the whole process should contact their representatives and the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) for more information.
The minister has taken a strong interest in the relocation of hawkers away from Khyndailad and last week spoke of how musicians would serenade visitors to the city once the hawkers are moved away and the entire stretch is turned into a pedestrian-only zone.
The effort to identify hawker zones has been going on for more than two years and should not come as a surprise to hawkers, Lyngdoh said.
The identification of hawkers to be moved has been completed and the SMB will allot stalls by the end of June, he added.
Asked about other localities that are packed with hawkers, such as Laitumkhrah and Laban, Lyngdoh said that Khyndailad was prioritised as it is the city centre and part of Phase 1 of the Smart City Project. Once this is complete, other areas will be seen to.
