Indiamart fire: GDA checking if Raj Nagar building has permit for commercial use

Three days after five employees of Indiamart died in a fire at their office, the Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) has sought reports on the land use status of the building in Raj Nagar.

Three days after five employees of Indiamart died in a fire incident in Raj Nagar, the Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) has sought reports from its department concerned on the land use status of the building.

Officials of the GDA said the building did not have permission for commercial activities. Son of the building owner, however, claimed that they have a commercial registry for it. (HT File)

Rajnish Sharma, son of the building owner, on Sunday told HT they have a commercial registry for the building and have been paying the house tax at commercial rates. He said they have a commercial electricity connection. Sharma said his father did not receive any challan from the GDA and has a receipt of Rs 5 lakh issued in 1998 for change of the building status to commercial land use. He said the receipt was given to them by the previous owner of the building.

But officials of the GDA said the building has permit for residential land use and is not meant for commercial operations. Authority officials said a commercial registry, payment of house tax at commercial rates and commercial electricity connection have nothing to do with land use. “Payments made at commercial rates do not qualify a property for land use change. We have called for a factual report from the enforcement and property sections. If there is any violation of land use, accountability for violation and negligence will be fixed,” said RP Pandey, authority’s officer on special duty (OSD).

A spokesperson from Indiamart said they are checking the agreement with the building owner. “In the agreement, the building was declared a property for commercial use,” the spokesperson said.