President of Traders Association slams civic body for charging hefty conversion fee without updating layout plan
Listed among the top 30 retail shopping locations in the world, Khan Market has now become a battleground for traders and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). After the civic body issued notices to the 220 units over structural stability issue, the traders have started attacking the agency for its lapses.
The two traders associations in the market have accused the NDMC of negligence. President of the Khan Market Welfare Association Anhsu Tandon, said: "The place was set up in 1950s, when the first and second floors were allotted for residential use and the ground floors were set aside for commercial purposes. Till 1980, there were only two commercial shops, including the present Fab India outlet and the other one was an LIC office at the present Town Hall. In 1974, two flats were converted into commercial areas, while in 2000, one more flat was converted."
"Subsequently, a writ was filed in the High Court after the Land and Development Office (L&DO) refused to give permission to convert the other properties for commercial use. In 2004, the court issued a mandamus, directing the L&DO to allow the conversion," he said.
Tandon further said: "Following the HC order, around 10-12 properties were converted into commercial ones in lieu of a charge. This work was then transferred to the NDMC in 2006. From the initial Rs 12.50 lakh in 2006, the charges for conversion shot up to Rs 20 lakh. As of 2015, the rate now stands at Rs 1.14 crore."
He also claimed that initially, the NDMC required no license to run the shops. "There was ambiguity, and we only wanted conversion, not realising that these issues will crop up later. Only now we realise the ground reality. A monitoring committee appointed by the Supreme Court had submitted a report, which had stated that Khan Market was another Uphaar tragedy waiting to happen," Tandon said, slamming the NDMC for charging 'a bomb' for conversion but not changing the layout plan.
The trader further said that they sent several letters to the NDMC to upgrade the layout plan, but no action was taken. He also met Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal to discuss the issue on Wednesday, and said he was assured of action.
Strangely, however, traders in the area have admitted that they set-up huge generators and water tanks in the open area, which is exerting load on the buildings.
On Tuesday, the civic body had issued notices to all the 220 occupants of Khan Market, asking them to submit structural stability certificates by March 6. The market houses 156 shops, 40 restaurants and pubs on the first and second floors, eight on the ground floor, and 76 residential units.
Established in 1951, the area was provided by the Ministry of Social Welfare to the refugees from the North Western Frontier Province after the partition of the country. Gradually, the residential area turned into a commercial one, after the High Court allowed the owners to convert their places for business purposes in 2004.
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