Shillong, October 14: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Urban Affairs Sniawbhalang Dhar on Wednesday urged hawkers protesting their relocation from Jail Road to cooperate with the government, asserting that footpaths are meant for pedestrians and cannot be occupied for vending activities.
Responding to concerns raised by hawkers opposing the relocation, Dhar said the government could not allow public roads and footpaths to be obstructed. “Footpath doesn’t mean you can sleep there. It is a pedestrian path for people to walk, not for people to sit in the middle. It is not only about the vehicular area,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister maintained that the relocation drive was part of the government’s efforts to make Shillong cleaner, more organised and pedestrian-friendly, in line with the High Court’s emphasis on maintaining cleanliness in the city. “We want the city to be systematic, clean and beautiful. It should be a matter of pride for all residents. The High Court has also requested that the city should be clean,” he said.
Acknowledging that relocation could initially affect the livelihoods of hawkers, Dhar expressed confidence that business activities would gradually improve at the designated vending zones. He said the government was making efforts to provide better facilities for hawkers while ensuring that public spaces remained accessible to pedestrians.
Dhar also revealed that he had held discussions with the affected hawkers and appealed for their cooperation in implementing the relocation process. “I have met them and appealed to them to cooperate with the government. Sales may dip initially, but it will improve. They are not against the government, but naturally shifting impacts business at first,” he said.
On promoting the newly designated vending areas, Dhar assured that the government would undertake publicity measures to encourage customers to visit the relocated markets. Recalling the earlier relocation of hawkers from Khyndailad to the MUDA market, he said similar awareness efforts would be carried out for the Jail Road hawkers. He also referred to the Chief Minister’s distribution of cheques at Barik as an indication of the government’s commitment to supporting hawkers and safeguarding their livelihoods.
Regarding Certificates of Vending (COV), Dhar said the process of issuing certificates was ongoing and would continue in accordance with prescribed guidelines. He clarified that hawkers who had already received their certificates had been relocated, while applications from others were still being processed.
The Deputy Chief Minister assured that the government would make efforts to accommodate as many eligible hawkers as possible while maintaining order and accessibility in public spaces.
