Delhi traders resume anti-sealing agitation

NEW DELHI: After a brief hiatus, traders in the capital on Monday resumed their anti-sealing agitation with some of their leaders courting arrest in West Delhi and asked the Centre to bring a halt to the action being taken by MCD against commercial establishments in DDA flats.

A delegation of about 100 traders met Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken and asked him to put a stop to sealing operations in DDA flats.

Apart from this, the traders also demanded a reduction in conversion charges, a rehabilitation package for traders falling in the negative lists category and providing parking spaces to trade bodies on BOT basis.

Maken informed the delegation that, "the Government has taken serious cognizance of sealing in DDA flats and efforts are being made to provide relief to shopkeepers in such places," Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said.

"The MCD Commissioner and Vice Chairman, DDA, have been directed to approach the Monitoring Committee to bring DDA flats under the ambit of sealing relief available to shops of 20 sqmt in the 24 categories of trade approved by the Supreme Court," the Minister said.

"The government is considering 2-3 alternatives to provide relief to DDA flats on notified roads, and for this purpose the DDA will even change the lease deed," he said.

Meanwhile, at a public meeting in Hari Nagar in West Delhi, CAIT leaders Shyam Sharma and Gurjeet Pal Singh courted arrest as a mark of protest against the sealing operations.