Shillong: The Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) on Tuesday carried out an eviction drive in the Khyndailad area in compliance with orders from the Meghalaya High Court.
During the operation, officials dismantled stalls and seized goods belonging to street vendors operating without valid Certificates of Vending (COVs). The eviction followed a state government directive that had set a deadline for unauthorised vendors to vacate the area.
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“For the past few days, our team had been verifying vending permits. Only those who could produce valid COVs were allowed to continue. Others were removed as per protocol,” an SMB official said.
The High Court had earlier pulled up the state government and municipal authorities for their failure to regulate street vending in busy commercial areas, particularly Khyndailad. In response, the court appointed a special officer to oversee the implementation of vending regulations.
The officer has been tasked with identifying and developing designated vending zones, ensuring transparency in the issuance of vending certificates, and submitting regular progress reports to the court.
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As part of the compliance process and in accordance with the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, the state government has identified three designated vending zones in Shillong: the MUDA Complex, the parking area opposite the SBI Main Branch at Khyndailad, and the old Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) building.
According to officials, the MUDA Complex will accommodate a large number of vendors from central Shillong. The SBI site is being modified to ensure better traffic flow and customer access, while the old MTC building is being converted into structured vending spaces with essential amenities.
Work to operationalise these zones is ongoing, with plans for a phased relocation of authorised vendors in the coming weeks.