Meghalaya: Hawkers In Shillong Raise Objection Against Relocation Plan From Khyndai Lad

SHILLONG: The hawkers and street vendors in Khyndai Lad protested outside the Shillong Municipal Board office on Friday, opposing the Meghalaya Government’s plan to relocate them.

Under the banner of Meghalaya Greater Shillong Progressive Hawkers and Street Vendors Association (MGSPHSVA), the hawkers and street vendors protested against the decision taken by the state government to relocate them to the Muda Shopping Complex by November 24. 

The protest brought attention to the dissatisfaction with the absence of communication about the relocation plan, impacting more than 5,000 registered vendors.

The demonstration initiated discussions with Shillong Municipal Board Executive Engineer FB Chyne, where they asked for clarification regarding the government’s objectives and guaranteed vendors that they could continue their business without threat of relocation. 

Biolin Pyrtuh, president of MGSPHSVA, requested Tourism Minister Paul Lyndoh’s clarification on the relocation deadline on November 24. Pyrtuh assured the hawkers that they can carry their business without any sense of worry of being relocated.

Earlier, the Meghalaya Government announced plans to remove 200 hawkers from Khyndai Lad, which is also known as Police Bazar, to authorised vending sites.

The Tourism Minister Lyndoh, said that the area will become a vendor-free walking area as per the government's proposals. He also stated about the three specific areas which will be soon identified for the relocation.

As remarked by the Urban Affairs and Tourism Departments, the Khyndai Lad area will be renovated into a music hub and ‘pedestrian zone’ in order to attract the tourists in the area while considering the economic growth of the area.

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