The Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) on Wednesday relocated hawkers operating in the Civil Hospital area to the Public Works Department (PWD) premises at Barik, triggering mixed reactions among them. While a section of them was worried that the relocation could affect their business initially, many others said they were relieved that they had been provided with a designated space to continue business and not denied the opportunity to vend altogether. A woman hawker said the new location offers protection from rain and strong winds. She was hopeful that customers would continue to visit their stalls. According to her, although the SMB has not officially communicated vending hours, the vendors’ association has informed them that they may operate until 11 pm.
Another hawker welcomed the decision, saying that the government had shown concern for their welfare. He noted that the new site would offer much-needed shelter during bad weather. He further stated that it was too early to assess the impact of the relocation on their business. According to the vendors, around 31 of them have been allotted stalls at the Barik site, of which about 24 occupied their spaces by Wednesday. Earlier, the Meghalaya & Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPH&SVA) had sought a clarification on whether the relocation was temporary or permanent. The association urged the state government to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to clearly define the nature of the relocation.
MGSPH&SVA member Shane Warbah had alleged that the relocation process lacked transparency and was not carried out systematically. He had further alleged that there were irregularities in the issuance of Certificates of Vending in Khyndai Lad and claimed that a similar pattern was emerging in the Civil Hospital area. He stated that an earlier list of 29 surveyed hawkers was reduced to 14 eligible vendors without proper explanation, despite claims that 40 to 43 genuine hawkers operated in the area. According to the association, several vendors, including Sunday vendors and those who were unwell on the day of the survey, were wrongly excluded from the list.