Free MCD land from encroachments to rehabilitate traders: councillor

New Delhi, Nov 29 (UNI) After failing to stop sealing of shops in residential areas the capital the Municipal Corporation of Delhi is making all out efforts to ensure the rehabilitation of traders affected by the sealing drive.

A suggestion in this regard was put forward by MCD councillor Sanjay Puri in a meeting of the Standing Committee of the body when he called upon the administration to free hundreds of acres of MCD land in Delhi from encroachment so as to utilise this space for setting up shops for traders whose commercial premises have been sealed.

''The MCD should also endeavour to set up banquet halls in the land owned by it in the capital to meet the huge need of space for social functions, following the sealing of the Banquet halls,''Mr Puri added.

In this context, he called upon the administration to speed up efforts to free from encroachment hundreds of acres of MCD land in Delhi, a proposal which was echoed by members cutting across party lines.

Speaking on the issue, Leader of the House Jitender Kochar said,''the administration should make a list of places where the MCD owns land and also where the corporation land is under encroachment. This huge expanse of land can be put to use by the MCD for earning revenue as well as for the purpose of rehabilitating traders.'' Acceeding to the members' opinion, Standing Committee Chairman Jai Kishen Sharma directed the commissioner to submit on the floor of the House by Monday, a list of the MCD land all over Delhi, which was presently under encroachment.

''Hundereds of acres of land owned by the MCD in Delhi is under encroachment. While focussing on sealing of shops, the matter of freeing corporation land from encroachment has been ignored. This should be addressed immediately,''Mr Sharma said and called for a special meeting of the committee on Monday to decide on ways to utilise the land, including the rehabilitation of the traders.

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