The cash-strapped Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has started serving notices to shopkeepers, who have yet to pay their change of land use (CLU) fees.
The CLU certificate is required to change the land use category from residential to commercial. This is allowed on roads declared commercial by MC in the past.
MC expects to collect around Rs 30 crore as CLU fees from the defaulters.
Failure to clear the dues even after receiving the notice may result in sealing of the shopkeepers’ properties.
Notices have already been served to around 150 shopkeepers in the areas falling under MC’s Zone D, such as Dugri Road, main Haibowal Road, Model Town-Jawaddi Road, Barewal Road, among others.
Assistant town planner (ATP), Zone D, Mohan Singh said, “Many shopkeepers have approached the civic body to clear their dues after receiving the notice. Further proceedings, including sealing of the buildings, will be initiated against the defaulters.”
As the fee was pending for several years, MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal and mayor Balkar Sandhu had recently directed the building branch to recover the dues or face action.