Shillong, July 1, 2025: Tempers flared in Police Bazar on Tuesday morning as a group of women street vendors confronted officials from the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA), accusing them of confiscating their goods without prior notice during an enforcement drive earlier this week.

The vendors, many of whom have operated in the area for years, claimed that MUDA personnel seized their wares without issuing any warnings or providing alternative options, leaving them in distress and triggering protests.

In a heated exchange with municipal officers at the scene, one of the women, speaking on behalf of the group, expressed her frustration. “If they think it’s so easy, let them sit here and do our work,” she said, highlighting the harsh realities of street vending and the daily struggle for survival. “We are not thieves—we are just trying to earn a living. If they take our things, what will we eat?”

Municipal officials present reportedly advised the vendors to file a formal written complaint and submit it to the municipal office for review. However, the lack of immediate redressal only added to the vendors’ mounting frustration.

This latest confrontation underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding the regulation of street vending in Shillong’s congested commercial zones. While authorities cite the need to clear unauthorized encroachments and restore public order, vendors argue they are being unfairly targeted despite operating at the same spots for years, often paying informal fees to local intermediaries.

The incident comes amid the government’s ongoing implementation of the Meghalaya Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Rules, 2022, and the 2023 Scheme, which aim to designate vending zones and issue Certificates of Vending (CoVs) to eligible vendors. However, many vendors remain outside the formal framework, leaving them vulnerable to enforcement actions.

With the affected women vowing to stand their ground, the incident highlights the urgent need for a more empathetic and inclusive approach to managing informal livelihoods in the city.