MCD begins sealing of shops in residential areas

Acting on a Supreme Court order, the MCD today began sealing of commercial establishments in residential areas in the capital whose owners have failed to give a requisite undertaking amidst stiff opposition from the trading community.

With the deadline set by the apex Court for filing of affidavits by those who are running illegal shops and other commercial establishments in residential areas expiring yesterday, the civic body started sealing such premises in all the 12 zones barring Narela under tight police security.

The MCD had till yesterday received 1677 affidavits from shopowners.

The action comes a day after the Union Urban Development Ministry issued a notification allowing mixed land use in 118 roads of Delhi in an attempt to "provide relief to small traders".

The Court had last week extended the March 29 deadline for sealing of shops to June 30 and asked shopowners to file an affidavit by March 28 to escape immediate closure of their premises.

Traders claimed that around five lakh commercial units were facing closure because of the Supreme Court order.

Sealing of commercial establishments are taking place in Ghittorni, MG Road, Ring Road-Punjabi Bagh to Mangolpuri, Esplanade Road near Chandi Chowk and Jama Masjid, Arya Samaj Road, Wazirabad Road, South Extension, Green Park/Africa Avenue, D B Gupta Road near Sheila Cinema and Ghanta Ghar to Shakti Nagar.

The MCD had identified 189 roads in the capital where action would be taken and has formed five special teams, comprising officials of Building and Town Planning department along with members of RWAs to oversee the process.

It has, however, exempted shops 14 categories of shops selling items of "day-to-day" needs.

It include shops selling vegetables, fruits, flowers, grocery, stationery, pan, bidi, cigarettes and bakeries, tailoring shops, barber shops, cyber cafes, STD booths, photocopier and spiral binding centres.

The Supreme Court had also ordered constitution of a committee to monitor the sealing drive and made it clear that no more extension would be given after June 30 to stop the misuse of residential premises.

It has warned that those who failed to give undertakings would be proceeded with perjury and for violation of its order for Contempt of Court, but exempted commercial establishments set up prior to September 1962 and the Master Plan to continue provided "they have not got their building sanctioned for residential purpose".

The areas expected to be worst affected are Greater Kailash, Kailash Colony, Green Park, Lajpat Nagar, Defence Colony, Hauz Khas, South Extension, Malviya Nagar, Munirka, Aurobindo Marg, Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Rajinder Nagar, Nariana, East and West Patel Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Kingsway Camp, Model Town, Laxmi Nagar, Patparganj, Naveen Shahdara, Alipur, Nangloi, Wazirpur and Karampura.