HC grants relief to shopkeepers
Giving an interim relief to shopkeepers and restaurant owners in the city’s elite shopping hub, the Khan market, the Delhi high court on Thursday stayed the New Delhi Municipal Council’s proposed drive from Friday to remove the illegal constructions there.
The traders knocked the doors of the Delhi HC on Thursday, as the deadline given by the NDMC expires Thursday night. The NDMC in its notice directed the Khan Market traders to remove illegal constructions or else face sealing in three days.
After hearing a petition filed by the Khan Market Traders’ Association (KMTA), Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said, “Till its further order no demolition work/drive will be carried out by the civic agency, NDMC.”
KMTA, in its petition, said, that the shopkeepers have paid the conversion charges as demanded by the NDMC but they have been getting repeated threats for demolition.
Claiming that the Association had recently sent a representation to the ministry of urban development to review the standard plan and notify new building norms in accordance with the Delhi Master Plan-2021, but before any decision was taken by the concerned authority, the NDMC has issued notice for removal of illegal constructions.
Seeking quashing of the NDMC notice, the traders alleged that they have been harassed by the threats of the civic agency.
The court has fixed April 27 as the next date for further hearing on the plea.
The NDMC has decided to seal all second and third floors of various commercial establishments in the elite Khan Market area, saying that they are illegal.
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