India News | New Delhi Traders Urge NDMC to Renew Shops, Kiosks Licences

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Traders of several markets, including Sarojini Nagar, Palika Bazar and Janpath, have written to the NDMC to resume the process of renewing licences of shops and kiosks allotted to them.

A New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) member assured that the issue would be "resolved soon".

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The traders have alleged that the renewal of the license deed has been stopped for the "last two or three years".

According the rules and Acts of the NDMC, the licence deed of shops and kiosks allotted by the NDMC has to be renewed after every 10 years.

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Ashok Randhawa, president of the Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders Association, told PTI that several allottees have sought the renewal of licences but got no response.

"No reason has been given to us for the non-renewal of licences. This has created problems for the traders. We have requested the NDMC several times to start the process. So, we have finally written to the NDMC," Randhawa said.

In a letter to NDMC Director (Estate-1) on Thursday, Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders Association said, "As the policy for renewing the deeds is closed since last two-three years. It is requested from all of us that the procedure for renewing the deed and continuing of policy should be opened again."

Market associations of Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri, Khan Market, Pritiviraj Market, and Gole Market too have requested the NDMC to renew the licences of shops.

"We have contacted the NDMC several times but of no use," Darshan Kakkar, president of Palika Bazar Association said.

Kakkar informed that a policy on licences of NDMC shops was formulated in 2016, however, the shops' licences have not been renewed since 2018.

"From 2016 to 2018, the policy was followed correctly by the NDMC but from 2018 onwards, the renewal of licences has been stopped," Kakkar said, adding that this is not only resulting in losses for the traders but also the NDMC.

"As licenses have not been renewed, several shopkeepers have not paid rents and dues are pending. Moreover, with every transfer of license, the NDMC raises the rent by 30 per cent. So now licences not have been renewed since 2018, that is why it is also hurting the NDMC," he noted.

Meanwhile, NDMC member Girish Sachdeva said the matter is expected to be discussed during the March 30 meeting of the council.

"I have received several complaints. The renewal of licence deed issue is part of the agenda for the upcoming meeting. I am expecting it to get resolved soon," Sachdeva said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)