At Khan Mkt, sealing won’t hit traders much
If you are sealing door to a terrace, how will they reach essentials like water tanks? If there is a leak in the water pipe or a fire, what will people do? ANSHU TANDON, president of
Khan Market restaurant association
NEWDELHI: Khan Market on Monday faced a sealing drive but unlike Defence Colony or Chattarpur, where entire establishments were closed down, only small portions of shops faced the civic agency’s sealing, which are unlikely to have a major impact on the functioning of businesses.
“In Khan Market, only those portions are being shut that do not have permission from the council or for illegal construction. The monitoring committee has directed to ensure that there is no misuse of land and illegal construction or illegal occupancy in the market. We are moving door-to-door to inspect each of the establishments and wherever there is any violation, only that portion is being sealed by the team,” said a senior NDMC official.
At Defence Colony and Chattarpur, there were several cases of entire businesses being run from residential properties in which the owners had not paid conversion fees. However, the problem of violating norms isn’t as rampant at Khan Market, the 24th most expensive retail loca- tion in the world and the costliest in India. Non-payment of conversion charges is not an issue for the shops and eateries operating at the market because traders claim they have all paid the charges.
“People who are running commercial establishments have all paid conversion charges to the tune of ₹20-25 lakh. One or two even had to cough up ₹1 crore to get their particular residential flats on the first floor converted into commercial complexes,” said Sanjeev Mehra, president, Khan Market Traders Association.
There are 156 shops and 74 residential spaces in Khan Market, which was set up as a neighbourhood market in 1950. The area was provided by the Union ministry of social welfare to refugees from the North Western Frontier Province after Partition. It was initially meant for shops on the ground floor and residential flats on the first floor. Till 1980, there were only two commercial shops in the upper floors.
In 2004, Delhi High Court issued a mandamus, directing the Land and Development Office to allow the conversion.
Of the 74 residential spaces on the first and second floors, 44 are engaged in commercial activities housing 30 restaurants, while another 10 eateries are located on the ground floor, traders said.
Anshu Tandon, president of Khan Market’s restaurant association, said that there is need for a clarification from the New Delhi Municipal Council as there is confusion among the owners.
“Every now and then we come under the hammer of the local bodies. There should be clarity to avoid any confusion. They have given these ad hoc Section 250 notice. If you are sealing door to a terrace, how will they reach essentials like water tanks? If there is a leak in the water pipe or a fire, what will people do? This is hazardous in a way. If you can prove it is legal, we will come and de-seal it,” Tandon told HT.