‘Shops allowed only on ground floor in Jor Bagh market’

The Delhi high court has asked the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) not to allow rampant commercialisation in the posh Jor Bagh market of south Delhi in violation of Master Plan 2020 and byelaws, Harish V Nair reports.

The Delhi high court has asked the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) not to allow rampant commercialisation in the posh Jor Bagh market of south Delhi in violation of Master Plan 2020 and byelaws.

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The order came on a PIL filed by one Kavita Nayar, a resident of the area, complaining about commercial activity on first floors and above in the market.

According to MPD 2020 and NDMC byelaws, commercial activity is permissible only on the ground floor. Filing the petition on behalf of the resident welfare association, she said the public was suffering from the widespread commercialization of the residential zones since 2008 and various pleas to authorities fell on deaf ears.

A bench of chief justice D Murugesan and justice VK Jain asked the NDMC to inspect the market and take action. The court made it clear that commercial activity shall not be allowed above ground floor. The petitioner said that even in response to an RTI query, NDMC admitted that floors above the ground floor can only be used for residential purposes.

“Notwithstanding the repeated complaints and the admitted stand of NDMC... no action has been taken against the illegal and unchecked commercialisation of Jor Bagh market. In fact, it is learnt that the outlets are in active connivance with the officials of the NDMC who have been conveniently ignoring the gross illegalities,” the PIL said.