Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) officials conducted a verification and eviction drive on Tuesday in the Khyndai Lad area following a Meghalaya High Court order. During the operation, goods were seized, and stalls of street vendors without valid certificates of vending (CoVs) were dismantled. SMB instructed all hawkers lacking valid CoVs to immediately remove their merchandise, warning that they would no longer be allowed to trade in the area.
The inspection included district administration officials, police personnel, and members of the hawkers’ association. Acting on a state government directive, which set a July 22 deadline for unauthorized vendors to vacate, SMB had been verifying vending permits over recent days. According to SMB records, out of 407 hawkers in Khyndai Lad, 285 hold valid CoVs, while 34 have been barred due to certificate cancellations.
This verification aims to finalize the list of eligible vendors, as mandated by the court. The High Court appointed Subhasis Chakrawarty as a special officer to oversee compliance. Certified hawkers will be relocated to designated vending zones at MUDA Complex parking and the lot opposite SBI Main Branch at Khyndai Lad.