Shillong, Jul 29:Vehicular movement in Khyndailad will be prohibited for 14 hours per day starting “immediately”, Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh said today.
Exceptions will be made for residents with car passes but otherwise the area will be pedestrianised fully, Lyngdoh said.
After a long-drawn out process, hawkers and street vendors were removed from the stretch of Khyndailad down to Dreamland on July 22. However, while this gave pedestrians more space to move about, it also encouraged vehicles to use the route, thereby bypassing the oftentimes gridlocked traffic on the main Police Bazar road. Even when an HP reporter visited the area today, several cars and two-wheelers – some of which were weaving dangerously between pedestrians – were using the Khyndailad route.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh confirmed that the process of collecting details of residents along the stretch from Khyndailad to Dreamland is underway. This is to facilitate the issuance of car passes strictly to residents of that area. “One pass per household will be issued, but only to those residing in the stretch. Business owners from outside the area will not be eligible,” he clarified.
The minister further announced that full pedestrianisation of the stretch will be enforced immediately. From 7am to 9pm vehicular movement will be prohibited, with exceptions granted only to residents with passes and for school-related drop-offs during weekdays. “On holidays, there will be zero vehicular movement in the pedestrian zone, except for emergencies,” he added.
Lyngdoh revealed that the state government has sanctioned the construction of 15 public washrooms, to be located in the basement of the MUDA complex for the benefit of the relocated hawkers. Work will begin immediately and drinking water facilities will also be installed for the benefit of hawkers and the public. Hawkers had previously complained of the unsanitary conditions in the space that they were forced to relocate to by the government. “We are extremely pleased that the High Court of Meghalaya has expressed complete satisfaction with how the government handled the vendor relocation, professionally and with sensitivity to all stakeholders,” Lyngdoh said.
The minister said the move to pedestrianise the area is part of a larger plan to transform Khyndailad into a gateway hub for Shillong and Meghalaya. “Khyndailad is set to become an entry point and an urban cultural space, reflecting the branding of Shillong as India’s music capital. Signage will be redesigned, tiles upgraded or replaced and evenings will feature musical performances for the public,” he said.
On the issue of vehicles entering the area following vendor relocation, Lyngdoh acknowledged the concern but appealed for public patience. “We just need a few more days to complete the process of segregating residents from non-residents,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the eligible hawkers will receive the first installment of their relocation support on August 5. The state government had promised them Rs 10,000 each as a one-off payment and a further Rs 2,000 per month for five months to help them with the new arrangements.
