Planned shift aims to decongest commercial stretches and formalise vending
The Urban Affairs department on Tuesday said it has successfully relocated more than 750 street vendors and hawkers from busy commercial stretches in Shillong to newly created, designated vending zones. The move is being carried out under the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2023, officials said.
Authorities said the exercise covered vendors operating at multiple high-footfall locations including Laitumkhrah Junction, Beat House, Dhankheti, Khyndailad, Quinton Road, Civil Hospital, Polo, Governor’s House, Jail Road, Laban and Lachumiere. Those vendors have been shifted to areas where stalls have been constructed or space provisioned, notably the SMB Parking Lot at Dhankheti and the Brightwell Bungalow premises, both of which are now operational.
“The relocation of street vendors is a complex exercise requiring careful planning, extensive consultations and coordination among multiple stakeholders,” the department said.
According to the department, eligible vendors — a total of 750 — have been accommodated across designated zones developed at several locations in the city. The new sites are being supported with basic urban amenities such as toilet facilities, adequate lighting and improved accessibility, officials added.
- Objective: Provide safe, secure and legal spaces for vendors to continue their livelihood.
- Scope: Vendors from central commercial stretches and arterial roads of Shillong.
- Facilities: Constructed stalls, sanitation, lighting and access improvements at the new zones.
Inter-departmental coordination and relocation of official residence
The relocation exercise involved extensive coordination between the Urban Affairs Department, the General Administration Department, the Public Works Department, Health and Family Welfare and the Forest & Environment departments, the statement said. The identification and development of vending spaces were carried out in consultation with the district administration of East Khasi Hills and Town Vending Committees.
In a notable administrative step to free up space for a vending zone, the official residence of the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Urban Affairs was shifted to enable creation of a vending area at the Brightwell Bungalow site, officials said. The department characterised the process as involving multiple formal meetings with vendor associations and other stakeholders in places such as Laitumkhrah.
| Vending Zone | Location / Remarks |
|---|---|
| SMB Parking Lot | Dhankheti — vendors from Dhankheti and nearby stretches |
| Brightwell Compound | Brightwell Bungalow premises — made operational after relocation of official residence |
| MUDA Parking Lot, Polo Hawkers Market, Barik Compound | Additional designated zones across Laitumkhrah, Polo and central areas |
Officials said the new arrangements aim to balance two objectives: freeing up central footpaths and carriageways to ease congestion and ensuring that vendors retain secure access to customers. The department described the exercise as the outcome of "careful planning, extensive consultations and coordination among multiple stakeholders," and said the Town Vending Committee held repeated meetings with vendor associations during the process.
The Urban Affairs department said eligible vendors were identified and assessed before being accommodated in the new zones. While the department did not publish a breakdown of the number of stalls per site or the criteria applied to determine eligibility in its statement, it emphasised that the exercise followed the provisions of the 2023 state scheme and involved multiple departments for infrastructure and service delivery.
Local traders and residents will now be watching how the new vending zones impact pedestrian movement, traffic flow and livelihoods. The department indicated that basic services would be provided at the sites but did not specify timelines for additional amenities or a grievance redressal mechanism for vendors who may wish to seek relocation elsewhere or contest eligibility decisions.
The Urban Affairs department said further details on allotment of stalls, operational norms and ongoing management of the vending zones will be shared with vendor associations and the public as the transition is consolidated.
