Meharchand, Amar Colony await de-sealing relief
The guidelines issued by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation to regularise commercial units in local markets will not bring any relief to shopkeepers in Amar Colony, Meharchand and Chattarpur marble markets as the new guidelines would apply only to local shopping complexes.
The guidelines issued by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Thursday to regularise commercial units in local markets will not bring any relief to shopkeepers in Amar Colony, Meharchand and the Chattarpur marble markets.
A senior SDMC official said the new guidelines would apply only to the local shopping complexes (LSCs) and shops in other markets will not get any relief from these modifications as of now. Meharchand Market was single-storey market set up after Partition. Over time, shops opened in basements and upper floors.
On January 10, basements and upper floors of at least 130 shops were being shut for violation of municipal laws.
Ashok Sakhuja, president of Meharchand Market Traders’ Association, however, said their market was later converted into a local shopping complex by the authorities concerned and so they are eligible to get relief under the new guidelines.
Also read: South Delhi traders hail move to de-seal shops
“We had information that the SDMC will come out with detailed guidelines to regularise commercial units sealed in the drive that started in December last year. But I doubt if the monitoring committee will allow them to de-seal the properties,” he said.
Similarly, Amar Colony was a residential neighbourhood with double-storey homes, developed on land provided by the erstwhile Union ministry of rehabilitation on leasehold in 1947.
The colony was among 45 neighbourhoods originally meant for refugees who migrated from Pakistan during Partition. Jurisdiction of these neighbourhoods was transferred to the Central government’s Land and Development Office.
A market association member from Amar Colony said, “A majority of extensions made in commercial establishments were to meet the day-to-day needs and not to generate revenue.”
