Convert DTC depots into malls, says Assocham

New Delhi, Dec 28 (UNI) Industry body Assocham has proposed the conversion of ''sprawling'' bus depots into malls to provide low-cost shops to small businessmen to enable them to ''brave aftermath of sealing in Delhi''.

In a proposal to Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), the chamber has suggested that with the setting up of such malls and commercial complexes in some of the 34 DTC depots, it can earn a revenue of Rs 300 crore per annum by way of rent, advertisement, parking and other sources without losing its ownership stake in them.

''Traders and small businessmen are unable to afford shops in high cost malls and providing them shops at lower rate, would be ideal solution to boost their trading activities,'' Assocham President Anil K Agarwal said.

The least that both the Delhi Government and the DTC should do to convert these barren and spacious depots into large commercial activities is to lease out a few of them to prospective bidders by floating 'open tenders' to put up malls and commercial complexes through public-private partnership.

The terms and conditions for the tenders, should be transparent enough so that these attract a large number of bidders and capital, both domestic and overseas, that are prepared to construct the low-cost malls understanding their corporate-social responsibility.

The DTC has 34 big depots based in Vasant Vihar, Kalkaji, Sarojini Nagar, Sriniwaspuri, Sukhdev Vihar, Ambedkar Nagar Depot, Rohini (I, II and III), Subhash Place, Wazirpur, Hari Nagar (I, II and III), Mayapuri, Naryana, Dilshad Garden, Yamuna Vihar, Inderprastha, Noida, Seemapuri, Gazipur, East Vinod Nagar, Nand Nagari, G T Karnal Road, Hasan, Bawana Depot, Dichaon Kalan Depot, Nangloi Depot, Peera Garhi Depot and Kesho Pur Depot etc.

Some of the above depots are well located in and around NCR region and will be ideally suited for shopping malls and commercial complexes.

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