Traders protest against sealing of shops in residential areas

New Delhi, Mar 29 (UNI) Traders in several markets of the capital today protested against sealing of shops in residential areas of the city.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has neglected the notification permitting mixed land use in Delhi issued yesterday, Confederation of All India Traders said.

Large number of shops in different markets of Delhi, including South Extension, Kotla Mubarakpur, Greater Kailash, Lajpat Nagar, Rohini, Rajouri Garden, Raja Garden and Jail Road, were closed today as a mark of protest.

Traders from about 100 leading markets in the city had decided to observe a 48 hour 'bandh' from tomorrow against the sealing.

Meanwhile, alongwith various trader organisations, the PHDCCI today welcomed the new land use rules notification by the Urban Development Ministry.

It called for transparency and simplicity in procedures.

The new notification allowed mixed land use on the ground floor of residential premises located on select road of the Capital. The notification would give relief to small shop owners, it said in a statement.

The notification would be difficult to implement unless a whole lot of red tape was done away with. All procedures should be simplified and streamlined, it added.

The notification laid down stringent conditions like provision of parking space and restricting mixed land use to the ground floor, along external roads of colonies only, it stated and added ''what remains to be seen is whether the government notification would be able to stand the test of the Supreme Court.'' UNI IP VD HT2217