In favour of local retail business, CAIT showed that Delhi Government failed to develop commercial space in the city and therefore it would be inordinate to demolish local businesses at those 351 identified roads.
CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that MCD officials violating all norms and statutory provisions of MCD Act are carrying sealing operations under the directions of Monitoring Committee appointed by the Supreme Court. Onus lies on Urban Development Department of Delhi Government to actively look in to the issue and protect the traders.
It is highly regretted that 351 Roads have been identified by the MCD for declaration as commercial or mix land use and has been sent to Delhi Government for notifying such roads. Unfortunately earlier Shiela Dikshit and Kejriwal Government have so far not notified the roads depriving lakhs of traders from the benefit. It is high time now when Delhi Government should come under action and notify the roads immediately.
In the year 2007, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development while filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court confessed that during four decades, the Government could able to develop only 16% of the commercial space in Delhi, the rest of the 84% required commercial space was developed by traders with their own capital and hard work. CAIT further brought to notice that current Master Plan 2021 was put to review by the Government and though eight years have passed but still the Master Plan is under review. According to CAIT, this speaks of the lethargic and callous attitude of the Government officials and it is ironic that on the lapses of the Government officials, the traders have been made scapegoat.