Shillong, July 1, 2025: In a major step toward regulating street vending and reclaiming public spaces, the Urban Affairs Department of Meghalaya has initiated a phased implementation of the Meghalaya Street Vendors Rules and Scheme across Shillong, beginning with the Khyndailad area.

The move comes under the framework of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, and its state-specific rules and schemes notified in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC) was set up in October 2022 and has since spearheaded efforts to identify, survey, and regulate vendors operating in the city.

An extensive in-situ digital survey covering 1,400 vendors across 22 locations was conducted, identifying 760 eligible vendors. Khyndailad alone accounted for 407 eligible vendors, following claim and objection hearings held earlier this year.

To streamline vending in the area, the government designated specific vending zones:

1st Floor, MUDA Parking Lot (after shifting from Ground Floor based on vendor requests),

Frontage of MUDA Complex,

SMB Parking Lot opposite SBI Main Branch.

All other parts of Khyndailad have now been declared “No Vending Zones.”

The issuance of Certificates of Vending (CoVs) began on June 2, 2025, and 251 CoVs have been distributed so far. A public notice on June 21 directed unregistered vendors to vacate their spaces within three days. Public announcements followed from June 25–28, ahead of enforcement actions that began on June 30 at 8:15 AM.

The state government is offering a relocation allowance of ₹20,000 to eligible vendors—₹10,000 upfront and ₹2,000 per month for five months.

The department emphasized that the entire exercise is being conducted under legal supervision, with monitoring from the Hon’ble High Court concerning PIL No. 9/2024 (street vending) and PIL No. 17/2021 (traffic congestion). Authorities involved include the Shillong Municipal Board, the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, and the Police Department.

Urban Affairs officials reiterated their commitment to balancing vendor livelihood protection with the need for a more orderly and accessible urban environment.