A survey for identification of street vendors in Shillong city is set to begin from tomorrow till December 16.
The areas where the survey will be conducted are Police Bazar – Jail Road, Barik, Malki – Dhankheti, Laitumkhrah, Fire Brigade, and Polo.
During the survey, street vendors would have to produce EPIC card, Aadhaar card, proof of vending for the last six months prior to the notification of the survey and proof of being a resident of Meghalaya for at least the past three years.
It may be mentioned that the State cabinet on October 19 has approved the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2023 framed under the provisions of the 2014 Act. The Street Vendors Scheme will regulate street hawking and also identify vending zones in Shillong city.
Under this scheme, town vending committees will be responsible to identify legal vendors and hawkers.
The town vending committees will also decide areas to be declared as vending zones and areas which are no-vending zones. These will be finalised after the survey and registration of legal vendors.
The registration period of a street vendor is valid for five years. Street vendors will be provided with a certificate of vending to be issued by the town vending committees.
A unique ID card, certifying the right to vend in a specified area, which is valid for one year, will also be given to registered street vendors.
Recently, Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh had said that identification of vending zones will be based on certain criteria.
The rampant street vending in the city has caused a lot of problems to pedestrians as vendors have captured the public footpaths. This can be seen at Shillong Civil Hospital where vendors have openly occupied the public footpath.
