The Hindu : New Delhi News : Traders' plea to L-G

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 19, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Traders' plea to L-G

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 18. The Yashwant Place Traders Welfare Association have petitioned the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, B.L. Joshi, to save their business from collapse alleging that trade had come to a virtual standstill due to recovery of parking charges from their VIP clients --- who have curtailed their visits -- by a parking contractor.

Accusing the inspectors of the New Delhi Municipal Council of working in collusion with a parking contractor, the Yashwant Place Traders Welfare Association has stated that earlier not only the shop owners but also the Embassy staff members, diplomats, foreign tourists and senior bureaucrats staying in Chanakyapuri -- who were their main clientele -- did not pay parking charges as parking space was marked for all the shopkeepers. When VIP clients used to come for shopping they parked their cars free of cost at shopkeepers parking space.

In a letter submitted to Mr. Joshi this past Tuesday, they alleged that of late inspectors of the NDMC have started threatening the shopkeepers and a parking contractor has illegally started recovering parking charges from them and their VIP customers. Furthermore, the sanitation and upkeep of the market is "deplorable".

Claiming that the market had the honour to welcoming hi-profile dignitaries like the Russian President, Vladimir Putin's wife, the Association has said that Inspector Raj is quite visible and shopkeepers are being harassed for no reason. Through the Bhagidari scheme that was introduced by the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, the Yashwant Place Traders Welfare Association want to maintain the parking lot so that the once flourishing market does not suffer for want of parking space.

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