35 basements sealed in Def Col, traders cry foul
‘ILLEGAL’ Traders say action despite getting building plans revised
NEW DELHI: The sealing of basements of 35 establishments in Defence Colony market on Tuesday left shopkeepers confused and worried.
Last month, the sealing drive had started with south civic body officials, aided by Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, closing floors built above the ground floor for nonpayment of ‘use conversion’ charges.
A month later on Tuesday, officials of South Delhi Municipal Corporation sealed the basements of 35 establishments in Defence Colony, even as shopkeepers claimed they had the revised building plans with them.
“We showed the municipal officials our sale deed, payment slip for additional floor area ratio, one-time parking charge and use conversion charge (paid at old rates of Rs 6,136 per square metre). But the officials refused to hear us. Why this repeated sealing action? Why did they not seal the basement on the first day of the drive if it was illegal,” said Satish Gupta, owner of Kids Collection.
The shop owners said that they are running commercial activities in the basement of their shops since late 1970s and the municipal corporation had approved their building plan in 2000 after regularising the constructions done till 1998.
“We had shown the building plan to the SDMC officials as well as the monitoring committee members during a meeting on Tuesday. But the members kept the plan with themselves without promising anything. In the approved building plan, our basements are clearly shown as commercial establishments,” said Jagdish Gupta, general sec- NEW DELHI: Union home minister Rajnath Singh blamed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s confrontational attitude for creating hurdles in the path of Delhi’s growth while assuring every possible help to find a solution to ongoing sealing drive in the city.
Speaking at the executive committee meet of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, he said that Delhi, being the national capital, is important for the Centre that has been supporting the Delhi government for its development.
“Confrontational attitude of the Delhi government is hampering the
retary of Defence Colony Market Association and owner of a Puma Shoe store (that operated from the basement).
The affected shopkeepers have now offered to pay the balance ‘use conversion charges’ at the revised rate (Rs 22,274 per square metre).
A member of the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee said that basements of an establishment can only be used for residential purposes. “But traders are using it for commercial activities, which is illegal and can’t be allowed even if they pay the ‘use conversion charge’,” he said.
Traders of Defence Colony also alleged that repeated sealing action has left thousands jobless and at least on humanitarian grounds, the Sc-appointed monitoring committee should progress of the city. I hope they will change their course and shun politics of hostility,” Singh said. He was speaking at executive committee meet of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.
He also urged state party leaders to shed their egos and work unitedly to repeat 2014 election performances when the BJP swept all seven seats.
“With this state executive meet, we blow the election bugle for 2019 election. I appeal to all party workers to establish contact with all sections of the society especially women, youth, Dalits and traders,” the senior BJP leader said.
reconsider their decision.
“The municipality officials who approved the building plan and allowed commercial activities in basements for the last five decades are equally at fault,” said Rajinder Malik, president of Defence Colony market association and owner of Malik grocery store.
According to Abhishek Dutt, councillor from Andrews Ganj, the monitoring committee should come out with detailed guidelines for the convenience of shopkeepers. “The shopkeepers are not given any intimation by the municipal corporation about the deadline for submitting the ‘use conversion charge’ and also till what time the reduced rates (R 22,270 per square metre) will be applicable, which is unfair,” said Vishal Ohri, shop owner at GK-II M Block Market. You will just have to call on the government’s helpline numbers. A ‘mobile sahayak’ (facilitator) will be assigned to you. He/she will come to your house to take the necessary documents, complete all formalities for you and hand over the certificate at your home. Not all. Residents will still have to make their way to offices in cases where physical presence is necessary, such as a driving test.
No, it’s not. The doorstep delivery service will be available at a nominal fee. It is likely to be ₹50, but is yet to be finalised
Shopkeepers in local markets are not safe. They are not even being given enough time to pay the reduced one time use conversion charge. On Tuesday, they again came to seal our basements without serving any prior notice. We will lose business if the drive continues. MCD officials don’t know what they are doing. I showed them all my documents but they still went ahead and sealed my shop’s basement.