Delhi: Traders protest against sealing in Sadar Bazar

New Delhi: Unhappy with 16 shops being sealed in Sadar Bazar area on the direction of the monitoring committee for alleged misuse of properties, traders carried out a protest march from Qutab Chowk to Pul Mithai area on Friday.

Former mayor in north corporation and councillor Jai Prakash also participated in the protest.

The traders’ association said it will meet the MCD’s special officer and commissioner next week and, if relief is not provided, will go for a bandh.

MCD officials said the sealing was done to comply with the pending directions of the monitoring committee.

“There were 16 properties on the non-notified Jatwara and Shivaji roads which have been sealed. The action has been taken against commercial activity on residential roads,” MCD said.

Sources said notices against more properties were issued by the committee and MCD might act against them too.

Rakesh Yadav, president, Federation of Sadar Bazar RWAs, said when the entire area has been commercialised, taking action against shops is unjustified.

“In 2004, when a major sealing drive was carried out, we gave a presentation to the DDA vice-chairman stating that the market belonged to the Mughal era and was not established by any agency. I also gave reference to a clause in the Master Plan 2021 that stated that if 70% of the place is commercialised, it is considered to be a ‘commercial area’,” said Yadav.

“But DDA decided to conduct a survey through MCD and it was found 95% of the area is commercialised. Thereafter, no action was taken. But three or four years ago, questions were raised over the nature of properties on Jogiwara Road. On Thursday, traders were served notices signed in April 2022 by the former deputy commissioner (Rajesh Goel) of Sadar Paharganj zone. That means the matter is old and MCD is now trying to harass the traders,” Yadav said, adding that they had raised the matter with newly-elected mayor Usha Sharma too.

Federation chairman Pramajit Singh Pamma said traders have announced they will protest every alternate day if the authority fails to address the issue and de-seal the shops.

Prakash said the matter was discussed with the commissioner and deputy commissioner. “I requested the commissioner that conversion charges be collected and commercial activities be allowed. No residential property is left on those roads and they have been used for commercial purposes for decades now,” he said, adding traders are ready to pay conversion charges.