Date:04/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/04/stories/2007070458420400.htm

New Delhi - New Delhi

Demand to abolish conversion charges

Staff Reporter

‘Ministry is following partisan policy’

NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra on Tuesday demanded that the Union Urban Development Ministry either completely abolish conversion and parking charges being imposed on traders and other professionals in Delhi or impose a token fee that is acceptable in a lump sum.

Addressing a press conference, Prof. Malhotra said implementation of the current charges would result in several small and middle shopkeepers going out of business as they would not be in a position to pay up.

Stating that the Master Plan for Delhi-2021 was made in haste and did not leave enough time for the traders to deposit the charges, Prof. Malhotra said there were still several roads that had not yet been notified for paying conversion charges and there was a constant danger of the shops on these roads being sealed. “If sealing took place, more than one lakh traders would have to wind up their businesses,” added the BJP leader.

Prof. Malhotra said if the charges were waived for doctors and lawyers, then all traders should also be exempted and the Urban Development Ministry should not follow a partisan policy.

“There is still time for the Ministry to show flexibility and implement a one-time amnesty scheme so that the traders are able to continue their businesses,” he added.