Shillong: The East Khasi Hills district administration is currently processing responses submitted by various vendors who received eviction notices over alleged encroachments. The notices were served for commercial structures and stalls operating along specific stretches of the Shillong-Dawki Road, particularly around the 4th Mile and 7th Mile areas. To ascertain the exact legal standing of these commercial operations, the administration plans to coordinate directly with the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
Scrutiny of Vendor Replies
Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal stated that the administration is carefully reviewing the explanations provided by the vendors. Once this evaluation phase concludes, officials will sit down with NHIDCL representatives to determine the legality of the structures and business activities in question. This administrative action follows mounting concerns expressed by members of the general public as well as local shnong authorities regarding the rising number of vendors occupying spaces along the highway corridor.
Judicial Scrutiny and Public Safety Mandates
The Meghalaya High Court has also taken formal note of unauthorized fruit stalls and various other commercial establishments functioning along the national highway. Baranwal emphasized that clearing these encroachments is critical for upholding public safety standards and complying directly with directives issued by the Supreme Court. Furthermore, the implementation of these mandatory guidelines is being closely watched and monitored by both the state government and the concerned central ministry.
Statutory Prohibitions and Liquor Crackdown
Under the provisions of the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, setting up commercial stalls or conducting business activities within the designated right of way (ROW) of national highways remains strictly prohibited. In a parallel development, the district administration has directed the Excise Department to scale up enforcement measures. The objective is to curb the alleged illegal resale of liquor along the Shillong-Dawki Road, with a primary focus on the 4th Mile and 7th Mile sectors.
Raids and Seizures Conducted
According to updates shared by Baranwal, enforcement teams have already executed three to four rounds of targeted raids in connection with these illicit liquor operations. During the course of these ongoing operations, authorities successfully recovered and seized cartons alongside numerous empty bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The district machinery remains focused on maintaining smooth traffic flow and ensuring highway safety through these coordinated compliance drives.
