Sealing drive resumes as 131 outlets face action
NEW DELHI: A day after the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee directed the municipal commissioners to execute the sealing drive forcefully in all zones, the civic agencies swung into action sealing over 130 properties across Delhi on Tuesday.
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) sealed a total of 40 properties, while the North Delhi Municipal Corporation targeted 77 properties, and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) sealed 14 outlets, officials said.
SDMC officials reportedly arrived at the South Extension market around 12pm and sealed 30 business establishments running in basements and upper floors.
“The traders were carrying commercial activities without paying the use conversion charges at the rate of ₹22,274 per square metre. Also, there were business establishments running on the third and fourth floors, which is illegal as per civic norms,” a senior SDMC official said.
Lalita Devi, one of the residents whose property was sealed, claimed that the civic agency sealed the premises even when no commercial activity was running there. “My husband was not at home when the officials arrived. They gave me 20 minutes to take out all my belongings. I kept on trying to tell them that the place was only being used for residential purposes,” she said.
A senior SDMC official, however, said that sealing took place after they conducted a proper survey of the market.
“The building was used for commercial purpose and the family was living here only for the last few days. The family head was probably the caretaker of the building,” the official said.
Vineet Gupta, owner of an educational institute whose property got sealed, said: “I have been paying the conversion charges since 2008 under the commercial category (at the rate of ₹6,136 per square metre). But today, I was told that rate of ₹22,274 per sq m is applicable for the property. Why I was not informed earlier?”
Meanwhile, another 10 properties were sealed in Janakpuri area.
On December 30, the Delhi Development Authority had notified new rates at ₹22,274 per square metre for payment of use conversion charges in local markets but even after the notification, traders are not coming forward to submit the charges, an MCD official said.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation targeted 77 properties in Darya Ganj, Paschim Vihar, Kamla Nagar, Shalimar Bagh, Mukherjee Nagar and Malka Ganj areas.
EDMC officials, meanwhile, undertook sealing action on 14 properties in Surajmal Vihar, Surya Niketan, Pushpanjali, Shyam Enclave and Sharad Vihar, officials said.
The sealing drive across markets in Delhi started from December 22 over alleged misuse of residential properties for commercial use and non-payment of use conversion charges.