Relocation chaos: Several years on, Delhi’s market hubs lack basic infrastructure

These markets were relocated for either road-widening projects or to decongest the city. The traders’ concerns are the same-- lack of infrastructure, which is a major concern, notwithstanding, there are problems related to the plot sizes, a lack of flexibility to ply allied trade, etc.

The Chemical Market in the Integrated Freight Complex (IFC) at Narela wears a deserted look with the shutters and doors of most offices and godowns locked, and construction work on some plots abandoned midway.

Traders have to stock tyres on lanes due to paucity of space within shops in Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Three years after the market was relocated from Chandni Chowk to Narela following Delhi high court’s 2019 orders following a court case regarding the decongestion of the Walled City, traders are yet to start operating from here.

While the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) provided them with land, traders say the lack of infrastructure and basic amenities such as water supply, sewerage, police station, banks, etc., at the new market has forced them to look for options outside Delhi. A majority of them have either purchased or rented godown space in Kundli (Haryana), which is just 5km away from Narela, or Sahibabad (Uttar Pradesh) and other neighbouring states.

Raj Kumar Kapoor, president of Rang and Rasayan Vyapar Sangh, an association of dyes and chemical merchants, says that 720 traders were allotted plots at IFC in phases since 2001 on a 30-year lease. “Two decades have passed but the infrastructure is still not in place. They will renew the lease, but we have suffered hugely due to DDA’s poor planning and delay in providing essential facilities,” he says.

Like chemical traders, Chawri Bazaar’s paper merchants were relocated to the IFC at Ghazipur in 2004-05 and the traders at the old tyre market on Gaushala Road near Rani Jhansi flyover were relocated to Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar in 2015. These markets were relocated for either road-widening projects or to decongest the city.

Their concerns are the same-- lack of infrastructure, which is a major concern, notwithstanding, there are problems related to the plot sizes, a lack of flexibility to ply allied trade, etc., say traders in these markets.

HT takes a look at the issues faced by these traders.

Lack of infrastructure

While DDA had allotted plots to traders in 2001, the traders actually started constructing their offices and workshops at Narela IFC 2019 onwards following the high court orders. While chemical traders have been barred from operating even offices in Chandni Chowk, those involved in the business of dyes and colour were permitted by the erstwhile NorthDelhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to continue to run their offices in the Walled City.

Chemical traders say that there is no water supply in the area and the sewers are in a bad condition. “Though we were asked to shift here, the DDA has not provided us with adequate infrastructure. There is no water supply or sewer connection. How do you expect traders to work here?” says Pradeep Gupta, president of Chemical Merchants’ Association.

While a majority of traders have constructed offices and godowns at the new market, they don’t have No Objection Certificates (NOC) from the fire department. “To get an NOC from the fire department, there has to be adequate arrangements for water. But there is no water supply in the area even after three years. There is no drinking water available. How do you expect traders to start business here?” says Sushil Goel, former president of Chemical Merchants’ Association.

When contacted, a senior DDA official said, “The restoration work of water supply and sewerage in IFC Narela is in progress and likely to be completed by June 30, 2022. Water supply and sewerage services can be provided to the traders of IFC then.”

Around 46km away from Narela is Ghazipur IFC--where paper merchants were relocated from Chawri Bazaar. They too complain about similar issues. Piyush Jain, president of Delhi Paper Merchants’ Association, says, “The area is in a very bad condition. The roads are broken and the drainage system is not effective. During monsoon, the area gets waterlogged. A few years ago, water entered the basement of our stores due and damaged our goods.”

Not to mention the market is located near the Ghazipur landfill site. “Due to the stench, people can’t sit in the market for long,” Jain says.

At Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar where old tyre market traders were relocated in 2015 to make way for a road-widening project near Rani Jhansi Road, traders say that the erstwhile NDMC, which was responsible for the upkeep of the area, had done no development work since.

The roads in the market are broken, including the entry to the market. Traders say there is no drinking water supply in the area. “We have been just thrown on the outskirts of the city with no basic infrastructure. The roads are broken, there is no water supply connection, streetlights are not working and other basic facilities are missing. Many traders have opted out of the trade due to losses. A large number of shops here are closed,” says Hardev Singh Sethi, president of Guru Nanak Tyre Market Association.

Small plot size and strict norms

Traders’ associations of all the three areas complain about the small plots allotted to them, saying their trades require bigger plots.

At the tyre market, traders have been provided 20-30sqm plots. As there is not much space, traders have stocked the tyres on the front and back lanes. “We deal mostly in the sale and purchase of old truck tyres, which are very big in size. The space inside shops is not sufficient,” Sethi says.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi didn’t comment on the matter.

Due to the lack of development in the area and the extremely small size of the godowns, a large number of chemical traders have rented or bought godowns in neighbouring states.

“There is no space to store huge chemical containers. This is one of the reasons why traders have set up godowns in Kundli (Haryana), Sahibabad (Uttar Pradesh) etc. The state policies there are favourable for trade, and infrastructure is also in place,” says Goel.

The strict land allotment norms at the IFC have also forced paper merchants to shift to neighbouring states.

As per the DDA’s norms, paper merchants can only store paper in the area, and not related items such as paper plates, cups, folders, etc.

Traders say that the demand for paper has dropped over the years with even government offices gradually going paperless, and after the Covid-19 pandemic the situation has only worsened.

Jain says, “Allied traders are not permitted at the IFC. Covid-19 pandemic has also adversely affected the paper trade as businesses take the digital route.”

Their demands

Paper merchants have requested the DDA to allow allied businesses to operate from the area. The association held a meeting with DDA vice-chairman Manish Gupta in March this year.

According to a senior DDA official, “The matter is under consideration as they have a genuine concern. But no decision has been taken so far.”

As for chemical traders, they want the DDA to complete the development work at the earliest. “We have also asked the DDA to provide us with additional land for storage,” Goel says.

Tyre market associations want the market to be relocated, as their business has been impacted adversely. Sethi says, “We want the corporation to relocate us to Punjabi Bagh. It is impossible for us to continue our businesses here.”