Traders across the city, who have ignored payment of conversion charges for their shops might get some respite as the civic agencies have given them the option of paying the conversion charges and saving their establishments.
However, sealing drives will go ahead in cases involving other violations, civic officials said.
After Defence Colony and Chattarpur markets, the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee will now extend the sealing drive to commercial units in South Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh and Mehrauli over non-payment of conversion charge for using the upper floors of their buildings meant for residential use.
Second phase
The second phase of sealing in Chattarpur also targeted establishments for the misuse of agriculture land for commercial use and illegal construction, along with non-payment of conversion charges.
Traders in Defence Colony, whose shops were sealed, have written to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) requesting them to float an amnesty scheme for traders to save their properties.
“There was no warning. One fine morning they decide to come and seal our shops. We did not even get the time to clear the dues,” said Aakash Arora, a shop owner at Defence Colony.
Despite the pleas of the shop owners, in a high powered meeting of SDMC officials on Tuesday, it was decided that traders can avoid sealing action if they paid conversion charges at the old rates of ₹22,000 per square metre along with an affidavit stating that they would pay up the pending amount once the new rates are notified by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
Interest on charges
The charges to be paid will also include the interest that has been accumulated since 2012.
A senior official said that though the sealing of commercial properties operating on residential areas will not be stopped, this provision will come as a respite for traders who wish to save their properties.
Sources said the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee has also directed SDMC to de-seal properties in Defence Colony Market on the same condition. Several traders in Chattarpur, however, said that sealing properties is an unfair move especially when the new conversion rates have not been notified.
