All major markets in the national capital including Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh and Nehru Place, among others are likely to be closed on Tuesday. This Bandh has been declared by the trader associations of the city against the ongoing sealing drive that has been initiated by the municipal corporations on the instructions of a monitoring committee appointed by the Supreme Court.
Talking to City Spidey, Praveen Khandelwal, general secretary of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said, “The decision has been taken after consulting all market and trader associations across the city. All of these associations have unanimously pledged their support. As of now the markets will remain closed only on Tuesday. However, we might take a decision to extend the bandh beyond Tuesday.” Delhi News
The trader associations have also alleged that the Delhi CM has not taken their grievances seriously. “He could have passed a bill from the assembly to stall the sealing,” Khandelwal observed.
The sealing drive has been happening for the past two and half months and this is the third call for a bandh. Earlier, in January, a weeklong bandh had been observed in the major market areas.
The Supreme Court has recently put a stay order on the changes that are being contemplated in relation to the Delhi Master Plan of 2021 and allowed municipal bodies to continue sealing drives. The call for tomorrow’s bandh is a direct outcome of this stay order. After the January protest of trader associations, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had agreed to certain amendments on the Delhi Master Plan of 2021. Infact the DDA committee chaired by the Lieutenant Government who is also the chairman of DDA has approved these amendments.
However, the DDA’s monitoring committee and a section of Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) have now opposed the amendments and approached the Supreme Court.
