Shillong: Shillong streets are changing. The Shillong Municipal Board cleared vendors from the congested Polo area on Wednesday, moving them to a new site near Matri Mandir. Workers demolished structures near the CRPF camp and SRGT parking lot to end years of traffic bottlenecks. A total of 106 registered vendors made the move under the Meghalaya Street Vendors Scheme.
CEO PK Boro confirmed the board now targets Laitumkhrah for a similar cleanup. He set an August 17 deadline for this next phase. The government offers a 20,000 rupee transition grant to eligible vendors with valid Certificates of Vending. This includes an immediate 10,000 rupees plus 2,000 rupees monthly for five months through the Chief Minister’s Urban Livelihood Grant.
Vendors have mixed feelings. Some appreciate the security and permanent stalls, but others worry about losing customer footfall. Space remains an issue. Some stalls are too small to hold full stocks of fish, fruits, and vegetables. One vendor stated, “We are being told to move, but there is no certainty that the new spots will attract the same footfall as the main road.”
Officials claim 29 meetings between the Town Vending Committee and local associations paved the way for the shift. Work continues beyond Polo and Laitumkhrah. The board is now preparing to clear GS Road and Motphran to complete the city overhaul.
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