Shillong (Meghalaya), June 12: The High Court of Meghalaya at Shillong has directed the state government to implement the Meghalaya State Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Scheme, 2023, aimed at regulating street vending and decongesting roads in the capital city of Shillong.
The court’s direction came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed, seeking identification of street vending areas, relocation of vendors, regulation of traffic, allocation of parking spaces, and clearance of road areas to ensure free movement of vehicles. The PIL aims to make Shillong a modern, clean, and well-administered city.
The court noted that despite steps taken for registration of authorized vendors and identification of vending zones, the scheme has not been implemented, leading to continued illegal occupation of road space and footpaths. This has posed a special danger to school-going students who are forced to walk on roads due to congested footpaths, exposing them to traffic accidents.
During the hearing, the learned Advocate appearing for the State assured the Court that the government is keen to implement the policy and scheme expeditiously. In view of this submission, the Court adjourned the petitions till July 3, 2025, and directed the State to file an affidavit by July 1, 2025, showing action taken in terms of the Court’s order and the scheme.
The Court also directed the State to circulate a copy of the affidavit to the Advocate-on-Record for the petitioner and to address the statements made in the petitioner’s affidavit. The Court’s order was passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh.
The implementation of the scheme is expected to bring relief to the residents of Shillong and improve the overall administration of the city. The Court’s direction is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
