Chennai Corporation has introduced a simplified system of issuance of trade licence for 135 trades to improve the ease of doing business.
According to the new system, the trades such as automobile spare parts, clothing, electronic sales, electrical shop, fruits, flowers, furniture, paper, planners and builders, rice mill, tyre shop, art work, leather goods, bakery, aquarium, perfumes and granite will be permitted within a day of submitting application to the Corporation’s Revenue Department.
“The new system will be applicable for trades in an area measuring less than 500 sq.ft. A GIS study has identified many businesses that have not obtained trade licence from the Corporation. This has been leading to civic issues in many neighbourhoods. But the traders associations have not created awareness among their members,” said an official.
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No police verification
In the new system, the licence will be given without any police verification or fire safety verification. The businesses would be asked to give an undertaking to close the unit in the event of pollution caused to the neighbourhood. Corporation officials will close the unit if they find any polluting machinery on the premises. The civic body will send teams to inspect such businesses to check pollution in the area.
The Corporation issues trade licence for cottage industries with 5 hp motor in residential areas.
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For mixed residential zones, the civic body issues trade licence for industries with 15 hp motor. Businesses will be permitted to use 50 hp motor in commercial use zones.
The civic body will permit businesses with 130 hp motor in light industrial zones. General industrial zones are permitted to house business establishments using 500 hp motor.
The Corporation has issued trade licence for 20,548 businesses in the city. But many more continue to operate without getting licence from the civic body, said an official.