Shillong, June 13 : The High Court of Meghalaya today heard two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) concerning street vending, traffic regulation, parking, and the overall plan to transform Shillong into a modern and well-administered city.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh, noted that despite government efforts, the Meghalaya State Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2023, has not been fully implemented.
During the proceedings, the Court observed that the issue of illegal occupation of road space and footpaths, leading to continued congestion, persists. This situation poses a particular danger to school students, who are forced to walk on the roads, increasing the risk of traffic accidents.
The Court acknowledged that the government had taken steps, including registering authorized vendors, identifying vending zones, and planning for hundreds of stalls, with a policy to relocate vendors to these designated areas. However, a petitioner’s affidavit, filed on June 2, 2025, highlighted that the scheme’s implementation was lacking.
The State’s advocate assured the Court that the government is keen to implement the policy and scheme expeditiously. In response, the Court granted the State an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to carrying out the earlier orders and its stated plans.
The petitions have been adjourned until July 3, 2025. By July 1, 2025, the State respondents are directed to file an affidavit detailing the action taken in line with the Court’s orders and the aforementioned scheme. A copy of this report must also be circulated to the petitioner’s Advocate-on-Record. The State may also address the points raised in the petitioner’s affidavit in its report.
