Several urban development projects are being closely monitored by the Meghalaya High Court in an effort to make Shillong “a modern, clean and well-administered city,” according to court documents made public. During a hearing on two related Public Interest Litigations (PIL No. 17 of 2021 and PIL No. 9 of 2024), a division bench headed by Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh examined an action taken report that the Commissioner and Secretary had submitted to the Government of Meghalaya’s Urban Affairs Department.
In March, the court had directed authorities to implement on a “war footing” several major initiatives, including: Demarcation of parking and no-parking zones, Acquisition of 35 state-of-the-art buses to reduce private transport, Implementation of a Shared Mobility Initiative (STEMS) project to enable school children to use buses, Identification and regulation of parking zones and street vending areas, Prevention of road rule violations and punishment for offenders.
The Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association has been added as a party respondent, and the petitioners have been given till May 15 to reply to the government’s action taken report. May 21 is the date of the upcoming hearing.