Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh today informed that the state government will complete the relocation of hawkers and street vendors from the bustling Khyndailad streets by November.
According to Lyngdoh, the government has scrutinized the documents of around 200 plus hawkers who qualifies the parameters of the Town Vending Committee in collaboration with the Shillong Municipal Board.
He informed that during a meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Urban Affairs, Sniawbhalang Dhar the Plan of Action of the department was shown through a power point presentation.
Lyngdoh said that it includes details of all applicants.
“Our first area of concentration is the Khyndailad stretch. Now steps are on to rehabilitate them and some of the spaces available with the department have already been indicated and earmarked,” he said.
He said that three places in Khyndailad have been identified which includes the buildings of the MTC and MUDA.
According to him once hawkers are rehabilitated from Khyndailad it will be declared as a pedestrian zone with no facilities and space for hawking.
Lyngdoh said that the government has a policy of rehabilitating the street vendors and give them proper space with facilities like water and other amenities.
“The problem that the city is faced with and which the Urban Affairs department is trying to address is that there should be equal respect for the rights of all users of public space like transporters, drivers, pedestrians and therefore these vendors should not in any way impinge on the rights of motorists and pedestrians which is what is happening now,” Lyngdoh said.
In other areas like Laitumkhrah, where a new market complex will be inaugurated soon, will be done in the next phase.
