Shillong: Street vendors and hawkers in the Khyndailad area staged a protest against an eviction drive conducted by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) on Monday morning.
The vendors, supported by the Meghalaya and Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA), have refused to vacate the area until issues in the relocation process are addressed by the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC).
The eviction followed a June 21 government notification designating the upper floor of the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) parking lot as a “vending zone” while declaring the rest of Khyndailad a “no-vending zone.”
Magistrates and police were present during the operation to oversee its implementation.
Shane Thabah, General Secretary of the MGSPHSVA, highlighted the association’s commitment to ensuring lawful processes.
“We have cooperated with the government to uphold the rights of hawkers and vendors. However, lapses in the implementation, such as the failure of the digital survey meant to ensure transparency, need to be rectified,” he stated.
The association, a part of the PTVC established in 2022, has raised concerns over various flaws, including unilateral decisions and expenditures related to vending stalls in the MUDA parking lot.
They have demanded that these decisions be disclosed and scrutinized by the PTVC to ensure fairness and transparency.
Additionally, the MGSPHSVA has criticised the issuance of vending licenses to individuals with shops while denying genuine hawkers their rights.
ALSO READ: Veteran actor Paresh Rawal confirms return to ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise
The group has called for a participatory approach to redesign the hawkers’ space, consulting architects and planners from across the country to create a space that balances safety, tradition, and inclusivity.
Angela Rangad, a leader from the activist group Thma U Rangli Juki, accused the SMB of attempting to create unrest through forceful evictions.
“We will not allow the SMB to remove the hawkers forcibly. Relocation must be based on a clear, inclusive plan,” she said.
