Demolition comes as a blow to traders still struggling to survive economic downturn.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) demolition drive has triggered a wave of panic among thousands of traders on CG Road and Bapunagar areas in the city. The civic body's drive to demolish illegal constructions has given a major blow to the traders who are still struggling to come out of the economic downturn caused by global recession.
The CG Road Shop Owners Association called for a bandh on Thursday, to protest AMC's decision to raze construction. The retaliation led to a loss of more than Rs70 crore in two days, while shop owners in Bapunagar area had to bear a loss of around Rs100 crore in four days.
One of the busiest areas in the city, CG road witnessed no traffic jam on Wednesday because of the bandh. The demolition drive of the civic body has already taken a toll on the trade activities of the business hub of the city. "The cumulative turnover of traders on CG road is more than Rs35 crore per day, and we have lost business for two days," said Gul Kinger, secretary of CG Road Shop Owners Association. In fact, if the loss of properties is to be taken into consideration, the figure would soar dramatically, he said.
On the other hand, the shop owners of India Colony area in Bapunagar have lost business of around Rs100 crore in the past four days. Arvind Patel, who owns a medical shop in Bapunagar, said, "We were given notices, though nothing was mentioned about the date of vacating the shop. I have suffered a loss of Rs3-Rs4 lakh."
"I am suffering a loss of Rs50 lakh. If the plan was to demolish the market, why were we asked to spend so much money? Most of us are already struggling to hold on to our business," said Himmat Ingo, who owned a tailoring shop in the area.
Many traders have lost their shops and are under depression, while many others are facing mental trauma as the AMC has already served notices to their associations. "I have taken an overdraft of Rs10 lakh on stocks for which I have to pay Rs45,000 every month. I am worried about the payment to be made to the bank," said Kanti Prajapati, owner of Sati Fashions located in Shilp Building on CG Road.
The demolition drive also haunts traders who have been served notices making unauthorised changes. "We do not know what will happen to our shops and how would be able to cover the losses," said Narendra Mehta of In-Vogue in Chandan Complex.
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