Amid growing tensions between street vendors and the state government over yesterday’s attempted eviction drive at Khyndailad, cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh today defended the government’s move, calling it a long-planned initiative aimed at decongesting Shillong’s commercial core and restoring order to public spaces.
He also stated that there is a hidden agenda behind the hawker leaders not wanting the issue to be resolved, though he did not go into too much detail.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said the government’s objective is to pedestrianise the Khyndailad zone in line with a larger vision to create more inclusive and accessible public spaces. “All road users have equal rights – pedestrians, motorists, and vendors. The right to vend cannot come at the cost of denying access to others,” he said.
Yesterday, the Shillong Municipal Board, backed up by magistrates, police and the Fire Brigade, attempted to check the licences of hawkers and street vendors in the Khyndailad area.
According to government data, 399 vendors have been formally surveyed in the Khyndailad area of which the vast majority – 349 – have been deemed to be eligible for relocation. In total, some 1,400 vendors have been assessed in the whole of Shillong, with a little over half (760) found eligible. The government will relocate these to designated vending zones within the city and pay them Rs 20,000 as support during the transition phase – Rs 10,000 in one go and Rs 2,000 per month for five months.
The Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA) has criticised the government’s surveys of hawkers, describing the process as flawed.
Lyngdoh dismissed allegations of sudden action by pointing out that the matter has been under discussion for over a year. “This wasn’t done in a flash. Multiple rounds of meetings have been held with the vendors and their leaders. Everything has been properly recorded and minuted. Even NGOs like KSU (Khasi Students Union) and Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong (headmen organisation) participated in these discussions,” he added.
Lyngdoh termed Monday’s standoff as “unfortunate and uncalled for,” noting that only vendors with a Certificate of Vending (COV) are permitted to operate. “Despite repeated extensions, many continue to resist the move. The government has now extended the deadline until July 22,” he said.
Out of the 400 hawkers identified, around 200 have already agreed to shift to the newly designated vending zone. “We have sanctioned Rs 10,000 as a one-time shifting allowance for each vendor, along with a monthly support of Rs 2,000 for five months to help them settle in,” Lyngdoh said.
Responding to claims that many of the 200 vendors shifting are not genuine hawkers, Lyngdoh said, “Anyone can make allegations. But everything is documented, and we are accountable not just to the people of Meghalaya, but also to the High Court.”
On whether the government is acting under pressure from the court, he clarified, “This is not about pressure. We are working according to defined timelines. It took us a year of consultations before taking any action.”
He also confirmed that the government has asked the CEO of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) to reconvene the Town Vending Committee (TVC) in the next few days to continue the process of dialogue and rehabilitation.
Addressing concerns about the reluctance of vendors to shift even after their demand to move from the MUDA basement to the first floor was accepted, Lyngdoh said, “This points to the involvement of vested interests who benefit from continued disruption. The majority, including their top leaders, have already agreed.”
When asked if the government will resort to forceful eviction after July 22, Lyngdoh said, “We are giving them time. After that, the law will take its course.”
On plans for other areas, including Laitumkhrah, he said the government is focused on resolving the situation at Khyndailad first before replicating the model elsewhere. “Khyndailad is the busiest commercial zone. If we succeed here, we can extend this model across Shillong,” he added.
