Sealing resumes after ten-day break, 64 units put to seal

New Delhi, Feb 1 (UNI) After a nearly ten-day break due to the Republic Day, the sealing operation by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi resumed today putting to seal 64 units in West, South and Civil Lines zones.

Of the total units sealed, 36 were sealed at Shah Alam band Road from GT Road to Burari Road falling in Civil lines Zone while three units were sealed in West Zone. 25 units were sealed at Joseph Broz Tito Marg from Moolchand Flyover to Chirag Dilli falling in South Zone, an MCD spokesperson said.

With today's sealing, the number of units put to seal by the MCD since the resumption of the drive on November 8 on the orders of the Supreme Court is 5192.

The spokesperson said the sealing operation was confined to the shops in non-notified areas and those falling in the negative list mentioned in the September 7 Urban Developemnt Ministry notification.

Confusion still prevailed over the fate of lakhs of shops on notified roads with last date for these traders to file their affidavits in the Supreme Court having expired yesterday.

The MCD has said any decision on sealing in these areas would be taken by the Corporation after tomorrow's Supreme Court hearing.

Though notification of the MPD 2021 by February 7 is expected to bring relief from sealing to the traders in notified areas with the Master Plan including in its purview 2183 notified roads, delay in MPD 2021 from the earlier stipulated date of January 31 stated by the Centre in the Supreme Court has placed a democle's sword of sealing over nearly four lakh traders in notified areas of Delhi. For the Court had said anyone not filing affidavits by January 31 would have his shop sealed.

Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy has said the MPD 2021 would be notified before February 7.

The last few days, after the Centre's announcement that the MPD 2021 would be notified only by February 7, have seen a rush among traders in Delhi to file affidavits before the DCs of their respective zones in order to save themselves from sealing.

MCD sources said 44,675 traders in notified areas of Delhi filed their affidavits before the Supreme Court-appointed Monitoring Committee till 1800 hours yesterday.

An MCD spokesperson said the list of the affidavits would be submitted to the Supreme Court, which had directed sealing of shops of traders who did not file affidavits by January 31.

Any decision by the apex court in this regard would be obeyed by the Corporation.

UNI