Delhi: Shops, restaurants in Defence Colony sealed allegedly for unauthorised constructions
Outlets such as Social, Moets, Aka Saka and 4S were among those shut down.
Officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Friday shut down several shops and restaurants in South Delhi’s Defence Colony Market for allegedly unauthorised constructions in their premises, ANI reported. Unidentified officials said the establishments were violating the law by using their ground and first floors for commercial purposes as they were meant for residential use.
Members of a Supreme Court-appointed committee set up to crack down on illegal constructions accompanied the municipal officials during the drive. The court set up the panel in 2006 to seal outlets where residential properties were being used for commercial purposes.
Restaurants Social, Moets, Aka Saka and 4S were among those shut down, the Hindustan Times reported.
Shop owners and their employees opposed the sealing drive. “These shops have been here since 1952, and this is an authorised commercial market,” an unidentified shop owner told ANI. A few employees alleged that their co-workers were abused and thrown out of their establishments.
When I & my owner reached here, we got to know that our employees were abused & thrown out. A staff who asked for written doc was dragged down. Already things like GST are going on & now our shops are sealed during Christmas when we give bonuses to staff: Employee #DefenceColony pic.twitter.com/eCvIiNn7TR
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2017
A shop owner appealed to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Twitter.
@ArvindKejriwal Respected CM ji,we are occupants of Defence Colony market where MCD guys have come in today with police force and are sealing first , second floors ..without any notice....we seek your urgent help and mercy
— Vipul Gupta (@guptavipul76) December 22, 2017
On September 23, the Delhi Pollution Control Committee had sealed 21 restaurants in the city’s Hauz Khas Village for not procuring the required environmental clearances.