Traders observe shutdown to protest hiked shop rentals

The traders have said that the protest will continue until the civic body gives an assurance to roll back the hiked rates

Traders’ associations in Ghaziabad launched an indefinite shutdown since Friday to protest against the municipal corporation’s decision to hike rentals of 1,702 shops across the city. The protesters are staging a sit-in at Ghanta Ghar Chowk, demanding a rollback of the decision.

Traders in city have started a protest against the municipal corporation over hiked rental of 1,702 shops across the city in Ghaziabad. (Sakib Ali /HT Photo)

According to corporation officials, the shops — located across the five zones of Vasundhara, Mohan Nagar, City zone, Kavi Nagar and Vijay Nagar — were leased out to traders on a nominal rent ranging from ₹200 to ₹900 per month.

“The civic agency has steeply increased the rates, which is unacceptable. The traders resorted to shutdown of Gol Market, Ramanand Market and those near Old Sabzi Mandi, New Bus Adda and Raj Nagar. We want officials to discuss the issue with us and roll back their decision. We are also ready to pay an increased rent, but it should be affordable for traders,” said Gopi Chand, city president of Mahanagar Udyog Vyapar Mandal.

The new rates, the corporation officials said, were cleared by the corporation board during its board meeting held in January.

According to municipal commissioner Vikramaditya Malik, the rentals of the 1,702 shops across the five zones were not raised for over two decades. “The board approved the hike in rentals with 98 per cent majority.”

“So far, the corporation was getting about ₹76 lakh annually from rentals of these shops. With revised rates, we expect an annual rental between ₹10 crore to ₹15 crore. The new rentals have been ascertained on the basis of the market rates,” he added.

The officials are in a process of calculating the exact rentals after the board’s approval.

“We are ready to discuss the issue with traders, but they have started protesting. As per our estimates, the hike in rental is anything ranging from ₹2,500 to ₹8,000 per month, depending on the location of the shops,” Malik added.

The traders, however, said that the protest will continue until the civic body gives an assurance to roll back the hiked rates.