Liquor outlet at Sarojini Nagar parking angers residents

Despite an investment of Rs. 80 crore and promises of solving parking problems, the multi-level automatic parking facility at Sarojini Nagar can’t seem to please anyone.

Despite an investment of Rs. 80 crore and promises of solving parking problems, the multi-level automatic parking facility at Sarojini Nagar can’t seem to please anyone.

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The shopping complex at the parking site is now coming up with a liquor outlet on Friday, much to the annoyance of the residents and traders of the area, who will soon start a series of protests.

According to them, a girl’s training school run by Bharat Samaj Sadan and the Delhi Public Library is located very close to the complex and by opening the shop, the DSIIDC will be violating court’s rule that bans such shops within 100m of a school.

“Girl students get vocational training from the Bharat Samaj Sadan at a school located less than 100m from the liquor shop. There are three more schools in the vicinity. The opening of the store has to be discouraged,” said Ashok Randhawa, president of Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Association.

Kamaljit Singh, secretary of RBI Colony RWA, said that the opening of a liquor shop will allow miscreants to create ruckus. “This is a sleepy little residential colony. The residents are annoyed with the opening of the shop and will protest against it,” he said.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is meanwhile silent on the issue. Officials of the civic body said that it is for the Delhi government to check facts before giving clearance to liquor shops.

“NDMC is the land-owning agency. It cannot decide where a liquor shop can be opened,” said a NDMC official.