Delhi traders observing 48-hr 'Delhi Trade Bandh' in protest against sealing

New Delhi: Delhi traders are observing 48-hour 'Delhi Trade Bandh' from Friday in protest against the ongoing sealing drive in the national capital.The traders have demanded that the sealing be immediately stopped and the Government bring an amnesty scheme to protect trade.The commercial activities in Delhi will be affected on Friday with the commencement of 48 -hour Delhi Trade Bandh call given by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) against the ongoing sealing drive. 

More than 7 lakh commercial establishments and 2500 markets across Delhi are participating in Delhi Trade Bandh, CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said.All wholesale and commercial markets across Delhi were closed in protest against sealing in Delhi, he said.

Expressing their anguish, the traders took out protest march in about 500 markets of Delhi and held demonstration at about 100 different places across Delhi, demanding immediate stoppage of sealing and de-sealing of properties already sealed.It is estimated that during the day-long Bandh, there will be a business loss worth Rs 1800 crore thereby causing a loss of revenue to the tune of about Rs 150 crore to the Government, Mr Khandelwal said. He said there are multiple authorities working in Delhi with lack of coordination, resulting into hampering of systematic planned development. 

The traders demanded that to ensure timely planned development of Master Plan, the Union Government should constitute a Special Task Force under Chairmanship of Delhi LG and comprising senior officials of Urban Development Department of both Central and Delhi Government, DDA, MCD and Delhi Police beside having
representatives from trade.

Mr Khandelwal said the traders were demanding that the Government bring an Amnesty Scheme to maintain status quo as on December 31, 2017 and no penal action be taken against any trader but offences may be compounded by introducing a compounding policy and in future the law and its implementation should be made more strict and offenders be given exemplary punishment. 

They have further demanded that the Delhi Government immediately notify 351 Roads as commercial or mix land use pending with it since last many years. There should not be any sealing or penal action in Special Area till the time is redevelopment plan is drafted and put to action.He said the MCD should develop sufficient parking space as it has already taken thousands of crores of rupees as parking charges from the traders.Uniform FAR upto 400 should be given to authorise additional construction. Commercial use of Basements in all areas should be allowed.

The Local Shopping Centres were given on commercial rates and therefore no conversion charge should be levied on them. The conversion charges should be levied maximum upto 10 years with no penalty or interest up till now.During 48-hour Trade Bandh, all major wholesale and retail markets of Delhi which will remain closed include Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh, Sadar Bazar, Kashmiri Gate, Bhagirath Place, Lajpat Rai Market, Khari Baoli, Naya Bazar, Kamla Nagar, Chawri Bazar, Nai Sarak,Khan Market, South Extension, Greater Kailash, Lajpat Nagar, Defence Colony, Green Park and all other Markets of South Delhi.

Rajouri Garden, Tilak Nagar, Uttam Nagar, Kirti Nagar and other markets of West Delhi, Ashok Vihar, Model Town, Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, Rohini and other markets of North Delhi, Paharganj, Krishna Nagar, Vikas Marg, Laxmi Nagar, Jagatpuri, Shahdara, Loni Road, Mayur Vihar and other markets of trans Yamuna area will remain closed.Earlier on January 23, all the wholesale and commercial markets across the city remained deserted as traders had kept their shutters down following a day-long bandh called by CAIT in protest against on-going sealing drive in the national capital.More than seven lakh traders of over 2,000 trade associations across city had supported the bandh due to which commercial activities came to a standstill in Delhi.(UNI)