SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Urban Affairs, Sniawbhalang Dhar, convened a high-level meeting on Monday with the local headmen (Dorbar Shnong) of Laitumkhrah and local MLA Dr. M. Ampareen Lyngdoh to discuss the relocation of street vendors and hawkers from the area’s major thoroughfares.
The primary objective of the meeting was to address the chronic traffic congestion and pedestrian safety issues caused by narrow roads and unregulated vending in the busy Laitumkhrah market stretch.
During the discussions, the local community leaders requested a 10-day window to conduct a joint inspection with the Urban Affairs Department. This period will be used to identify and vet suitable alternative sites for the vendors to ensure the relocation is practical for both the public and the hawkers.
Deputy CM Dhar indicated that the entire process of moving the vendors to designated zones would likely take between one to two months to finalize.
Laitumkhrah MLA Dr. M. Ampareen Lyngdoh expressed her gratitude to the Deputy Chief Minister for his willingness to engage directly with the Dorbar Shnong. She emphasized that the government is moving cautiously to remain in full compliance with the High Court’s directives, noting that the matter remains sub-judice.
“The government is taking this seriously to ensure we do not bypass the court’s orders. Our goal is to resolve this systematically without legal friction or unnecessary delays,” Lyngdoh stated.
While the exact number of affected hawkers and the final relocation sites have not been disclosed pending the joint survey, the government aims to replicate the recent success seen in other parts of the city.
The Urban Affairs Department has already successfully relocated vendors from Khyndailad (Police Bazar) and the vicinity of Civil Hospital to designated vending zones. Laitumkhrah is the next priority in the government’s broader urban decongestion roadmap.
