The Meghalaya Government’s crackdown on unregulated street vending in Khyndailad entered its second day on Tuesday, with Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) officials and district authorities facing stiff resistance from street vendors refusing to vacate the area. The vendors, who have been asked to shift to designated vending zones, also marched to the Secretariat demanding that the Urban Affairs Department immediately convene a meeting of the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC).
Speaking to the media, Tourism Minister and Government Spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh defended the government’s actions, stating that the administration was acting in the public interest to decongest Shillong’s streets. He reiterated that the government’s objective is to make the Khyndailad-Umsohsun stretch a pedestrian-only zone. “Every citizen has equal right to use public roads. The right of street vendors cannot override the rights of others—be it residents, motorists, or pedestrians,” said Lyngdoh. He added that discussions regarding the relocation of vendors have been ongoing for over a year and that the government’s actions are not sudden.
Vendor associations have been kept in the loop throughout the process, and meetings with their representatives were documented thoroughly, he said. Referring to Monday’s inspection, Lyngdoh clarified that officials only verified vending certificates and allowed only certified vendors to operate. The government, he said, has extended the relocation deadline to July 22 and prepared space for 400 vendors-though barely half have agreed to shift.