652 tenants can now own Karnal MC shops

Tribune News Service

Karnal, August 22

With the issuing of new guidelines by the Haryana Urban Local Bodies Department, as many as 652 shopkeepers, who have been running their business as tenants in the shops of the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) for the past 20 years or more, will have an opportunity to become the owners of these shops.

The KMC is all set to sell these shops to the tenants and it has informed the shopkeepers about it. The main condition of becoming the owner is that the shopkeeper should have been a tenant for the past 20 years or more and should not have dues of the KMC pending against their names. If anyone has any dues pending, he/she has to clear it by September 15.

“We have identified 652 tenants in 25 locations of the city. We have informed the shopkeepers about the new guidelines,” said Jitender Malik, clerk at the rent branch of the KMC.

The authorities are hopeful that it would increase the income of the KMC. “The selling of the shops will help in increasing the income of the KMC. Besides, the tenants will become the owners,” said Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC).

The DMC said that there are around 100 tenants on the defaulters list who have not deposited their dues, including the rent to the KMC which is around Rs 125 crore. They have a chance to deposit it before the last date (September 15). After that, they would be able to purchase the shop.

“We have issued notices to these defaulting tenants to deposit their dues,” said the DMC.

Malik said that there are 122 shops at Committee Chowk, 45 shops near Hospital Chowk and Kunjpura Road, 54 shops in Karan Park Market, 31 in Nehru Palace, 37 shops opposite bus stand and the remaining are in different locations in the KMC area.