Shillong, June 22: The Shillong Municipal Board has issued a formal directive to street vendors operating in the Khyndai Lad area, marking a significant regulatory shift under the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2023.
As part of ongoing efforts to beautify central areas such as Khyndai Lad (also known as Police Bazar), the government has relocated hawkers to newly designated vending zones.
Although infrastructure for some of these zones has already been constructed, implementing the Street Vendors Act has faced challenges, including protests from hawkers citing inadequate consultation and a lack of transparency in the relocation process.
According to the notice, the Town Vending Committee distributed Certificates of Vending (COVs) to eligible vendors between June 2 and June 19.
Following this, the government officially designated the upper floor of the MUDA complex as a vending zone, thereby replacing earlier permissions for street-level vending.
All vendors holding valid COVs have been directed to relocate to their assigned vending spaces by July 22, 2025. The remainder of the Khyndai Lad area has now been declared a No Vending Zone, effective immediately.
Vendors operating without a valid COV must vacate the area within three days of the announcement to comply with the updated regulations.
The notice was jointly signed by the Chairperson of the Town Vending Committee and the Chief Executive Officer of the Shillong Municipal Board.