Shillong

The Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) has issued a stern warning to shop owners and commercial establishments in the city against displaying goods and wares outside their premises, terming it a direct violation of municipal regulations and an encroachment on public pathways and roads. In an official notice released this week, the SMB stated that such practices are in clear breach of the terms and conditions outlined under the Shillong Municipal Bye-Law 136, framed under the Meghalaya Municipal Act, 1973 (as amended). The unauthorised use of public spaces, the board said, is not only illegal but is also causing inconvenience to the general public. The SMB has directed all shops and business establishments to immediately stop displaying goods outside their designated premises. The board war...

The Enforcement team of the District Transport Office (DTO), East Khasi Hills, seized a privately registered vehicle from Assam (AS01 FM 1998) on suspicion of illegal commercial operations in Sohra. The vehicle, which was caught ferrying tourists, was apprehended during a surprise inspection led by Officer G. Momin of the DTO. The inspection was carried out in the popular tourist belt of Sohra, where the vehicle was actively engaged in passenger transport despite being privately registered. According to transport officials, the car had long been under surveillance for suspected misuse. As per motor vehicle regulations, only vehicles registered for commercial use are allowed to carry passengers for hire, while private vehicles are strictly prohibited from such operations.

The Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) is expected to begin evicting street vendors without valid certificates of vending (COVs) from the Khyndai Lad area from Wednesday. The SMB's three-day notice for unlicenced vendors to vacate the area will expire on Tuesday, official sources said. The notice was issued on Saturday but the sources clarified that the three-day period officially began on Sunday, following its publication in local newspapers. The notice was signed by PK Boro in the capacities as the Chairperson of the Town Vending Committee and the Chief Executive Officer of the SMB. The sources emphasised that the government remains committed to safeguarding the livelihoods of street vendors even after they are relocated to designated vending zones. The upper floor of MUDA complex has...

A special investigation team (SIT) of the Meghalaya Police arrested two persons on Saturday and Sunday in Madhya Pradesh in connection with the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, a senior officer said. With the fresh arrests, the total number of people nabbed in the honeymoon murder case has risen to seven. An Indore court on Sunday remanded the duo — Silome James, a property dealer, and Balbir Ahirwar, a security guard — in the transit custody of Meghalaya Police for seven days. The SIT on Saturday night arrested Silome James for concealing a box belonging to Raghuvanshi’s wife and prime accused, Sonam, who hid it in a flat in Indore after the murder on May 23. According to police, Silome is the lessee of a building at Heera Bagh Colony in Indore where Sonam had stayed ...

The construction of NEHU Gate No. 1, though yet to be inaugurated, has incurred a total expenditure of Rs 1 crore. Initially tendered at around Rs 85 lakh, the project experienced delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in increased costs. Following the death of the original contractor, his son- now overseeing the work has refused to hand over the gate to the university authorities until the full payment is settled. Recently, a visiting team from the Ministry assured the university that Rs 1 crore would be sanctioned for the project.

Ongoing construction of the Umshyrpi Bridge, part of the Shillong-Dawki Road four-laning project, caused severe traffic congestion across Shillong on Friday, disrupting daily life. Restrictions on vehicle movement are in place from June 12 to 15, between 10 am and 5 am. Poor road conditions and undisciplined driving near the construction zone worsened the situation. Many students were forced to walk to school, with STEM buses rerouted via the 101 Area Road. Parents parked vehicles at Anjalee Point and nearby areas and walked their children to Army Public School. SP (Traffic) Kamakhya Prasad urged public cooperation, explaining that construction material and a crane are currently in place. He advised alternate routes via Laitumkhrah-Madanrting-Laitkor-Pomlakrai-5th Mile for vehicles hea...

The four accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case were brought to Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, on Wednesday. Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife of the victim and the prime accused of the case, is also kept at the Shillong Sadar Police Station. The Meghalaya Police team have brought these accused to Shillong Sadar Police Station after obtaining their seven-day transit remand for further investigation in the case. The four accused will now be taken to the Civil Line hospital in Shillong for their medical examination. They will later be produced in court. Earlier in the morning, the police team took Sonam Raghuvanshi to Ganesh Das hospital for medical examination in Shillong. Sonam is on a three-day transit remand with Meghalaya Police. Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife of the victim...

The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the proposal for direct purchase of land required for the expansion of Shillong Airport. The expansion work for the Shillong Airport runway necessitated an additional area of 11.75 acres to be procured. Therefore, a committee was set up, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, which held negotiations with the local people to finalise the rates and the different compensations that had to be paid. And after detailed discussions and negotiations, a total amount of ₹72.17 Crores has been arrived at for the compensation to be paid for the land, trees, crop, and building to be acquired in that area, for the expansion of the runway.

All remaining parts of Khyndai Lad (Ward No. 9 under the Shillong Municipal Board) excluding areas already designated as vending zones have been notified as ‘No Vending Zones’. According to a notification issued by the Commissioner and Secretary of Urban Affairs, Dr Vijay Kumar D, all forms of street vending activities are strictly prohibited in these areas. “Non-compliance will result in penalties as per the provisions of the Meghalaya Street Vendors Scheme (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending), 2023,” the notification stated. The move comes in exercise of powers under Section 18 of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, and in compliance with directions from the High Court of Meghalaya. The Court had instructed ...

A local businessman, choosing to remain anonymous, has alleged that he received a demand note from Synshar Khymdeit, who claimed to be the area collector of the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC). The allegation was made in a letter addressed to Shillong Press Club President, Deimaia Siangshai. Although dated April 7, 2025, the letter was only recently received by Siangshai. In the letter, the businessman noted that Khymdeit had previously addressed a press conference at the Shillong Press Club on August 1, 2023, where he denied any involvement in issuing demand notes on behalf of the HNLC. The businessman recalled that this denial came a day after Khymdeit’s name surfaced in a vernacular newspaper report, in which a woman from Mawlai accused him of serving her w...