Meghalaya High Court extends deadline in Shillong urban development case

The Meghalaya High Court has granted petitioners additional time to respond to government plans for street vending regulation and urban improvement in Shillong.

During today's hearing of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. 17 of 2021 and PIL No. 9 of 2024, the division bench comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh extended the deadline for filing response affidavits to June 2, noting this would be the "last chance" for petitioners to raise concerns.

The case centres on comprehensive urban planning issues in the state capital, including identifying designated street vending zones, traffic regulation, parking allocation, and road clearance to improve vehicle movement.

The court observed that the petitioner's failure to file a response by the original May 15 deadline "shows that the petitioner has got nothing much to say with regard to the action taken" by the government.

Lead petitioner Philip Khrawbok Shati was represented by Senior Advocate HL Shangreiso, while the state was represented by Additional Advocate General K Khan.

The PIL aims to transform Shillong into "a modern, clean and well-administered city" through implementation of urban policies and plans. The court had previously reviewed a government report detailing actions taken in response to earlier court directives.

"If the petitioner had any grievance with regard to any policy or plan or implementation of the plan by the government, the response ought to have come by today," the court stated in its order.

Both petitions are scheduled for the next hearing on June 12, 2025.

The case highlights ongoing efforts to balance the needs of street vendors with broader urban development goals in Shillong, a city facing increasing challenges related to traffic congestion and public space management.

Street vendors, who provide essential goods and services to many residents, have been central to discussions about urban space allocation in the growing hill city. The court's decisions will likely influence how Shillong develops as a regional commercial and administrative hub in Northeast India.