Delhi: Panel for action against misuse of Connaught Place properties

NEW DELHI: Around 90 shops in Connaught Place might face sealing action for alleged misuse and illegal constructions on their premises.
After surveying the recent report on properties in CP submitted by the New Delhi Municipal Council, the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee found that many shop owners had constructed their ground floor below the ground lever to create inter-mediate floors in violation of the original lease deed and as per provisions under the Master Plan for Delhi 2021.
The committee directed the NDMC chairman to take punitive action against all such properties and submit action taken report within a month. “Many people created mezzanine floors or mid-floors and even extended it beyond permissible limit in violation of norms. When CP was constructed there was no provision for basement. However, over the years these were constructed illegally. We asked NDMC officials to issue show cause notices to violators and take action if their replies were not found satisfactory,” said a member of the monitoring committee on the condition of anonymity.
The direction was issued during a meeting called on February 20, regarding sealing operations and retrieval of government and DDA’s land.
In the minutes of meeting, it was mentioned that in connivance with officials of NDMC and Land and Development Office, shopkeepers constructed basements illegally, in violation of the lease deed.
“The architect department had done some survey and submitted a report to the monitoring committee sometime back. Other departments were yet to receive the committee order and details of the surveys officially. After seeing them, future course of action would be decided,” said an official.
Atul Bhargava, president of New Delhi Traders Association, said that none of the shopkeeper had received notices so far. “In fact, NDMC did not communicate anything officially,” Bhargava added.