Shillong, July 2: Over 400 vendors in Khyndailad area were found as eligible vendors during a survey conducted by the Provisional Town Vending Committee (PTVC).
The survey recorded a total of 457 vendors operating in the commercial hub of the state capital and found 407 of them to be eligible.
Accordingly, the authorities concerned started issuing Certificates of Vending (CoVs) on June 2, and as of now, 251 CoVs have been issued to eligible vendors, according to an officials statement.
The Provisional Town Vending Committee constituted in this regard issued a public notice requesting vendors without valid CoVs to vacate their occupied spaces within three days.
Meanwhile, the commencement of relocation for CoV holders will take effect from July 22.
A public announcement was carried out from June 25-28 and enforcement exercise to vacate spaces of vendors without CoVs began on June 30, according to the statement.
Noting that regulation of street vending is a complex task that requires collective effort from Shillong Municipal Board, district administration and police, it said the enforcement exercise carried out at Khyndailad marked the beginning of a sustained effort to relocate all surveyed eligible vendors to designated vending zones.
Referring to the monitoring of the whole exercise by the High Court, it said the exercise was aimed at protecting the livelihoods of street vendors while promoting a more organized and accessible urban environment for all.
The PTVC conducted in-situ digital survey for existing vendors within the municipal area in a phased manner, starting with a pilot survey in Khyndailad on December 4, 2023, and thereafter across 22 other locations, which was completed by January 16, 2024.
A total of 1,400 vendors were surveyed, out of which 760 were found to be eligible vendors. Khyndailad area has been selected for the first phase of implementation, where the exercise of disposal of claims and objections was taken up.
A Sub-committee was constituted to conduct hearings, which were held on February 28, March 3, and March 4, 2025. A total of 87 claims were received, out of which 62 were verified, and 25 vendors were absent.
An opportunity for hearing was also given to the absentees on April 25, 2025, and disposed of on May 8, 2025. This marks a significant step towards implementing the Scheme and regulating street vending in the Municipal area.
