New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Traders across north and east Delhi on Wednesday expressed resentment over the MCD's decision to rationalise licence and registration fees by bringing the rates on par with markets in southern parts of the city.

Arguing that markets in south Delhi are more developed as compared to those in north and east Delhi that lack even basic facilities such as toilets and potable water, they demanded that the fees hike should be rolled back.

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The Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Tuesday revised the rates for getting health trade licence for running various establishments, such as banquet halls and eating houses.

Nitin Gupta, President of Kamla Nagar Traders Association, said it is "unjust" to impose the health trade licence fee of south Delhi areas in north and east Delhi.

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"As per the Master Plan, the conversion charge and parking development charge paid by traders to the MCD was to be used for the development of the market but the civic body did not do it and now they have raised taxes and licence fee and imposed it on traders. This is completely unjust," Gupta told PTI.

"The MCD should first develop north Delhi areas on par with the south and then bring uniformity in taxes and licensing system. Fee hike should be rolled back," Gupta demanded.

The public health department of the MCD has revised the rates of one-time registration fee and annual license fee for 94 categories of health trades.

Under the new policy, a one-time registration fee for health trade license for banquet halls with a capacity of up to 250 seats has been fixed at Rs 10,000 and an annual license fee of Rs 15,000.

The registration and license fees for health trade of banquet halls with capacity more than 250 seats have been fixed at Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000, respectively.

Prior to this arrangement, traders in north Delhi had to pay only Rs 1,000 for health trade license.

The traders said that after the revision in the license fee, if people want to open a ‘dhaba (eatery)' in north Delhi areas, they will have to shell out Rs 6,000 for license while earlier it was only Rs 500.

Similarly, the per annum health trade license fee for a three- and five-star hotel in north Delhi will now be Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively. Earlier, it was Rs 500 for both the categories.

Ajay Bajaj, Advisor, Karol Bagh Market Federation, said the revision in health trade license fee will put extra burden on traders and will "discourage" people to set up new business here.

"It is an unfair decision to impose higher rates on traders in northern city areas even as they lack development. North Delhi areas and markets are not much developed so licence fee here cannot be kept on par with south which is better developed,” Bajaj said.

“We will meet MCD authorities and request them to roll back the hike in licence fee," he added.

Ramesh Batra, a trader in Laxmi Nagar Market in east Delhi said they are already paying multiple taxes at higher rates and this additional burden should not be put on the traders.

"The MCD should reconsider their decision," Batra 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)