Traders of Chandigarh want pending bylaws issues resolved
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The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CBM) has demanded the resolution of all pending issues of bylaws applicable on commercial properties by the UT Administration without any further delay.
In a memorandum sent to MP Kirron Kher, chairman of the committee constituted on directions of the Supreme Court to streamline the property-related process at the Estate Office, the CBM demanded the conversion of existing commercial properties from leasehold to freehold at reasonable rates.
Charanjiv Singh, president, CBM, said all commercial as well as industrial properties should be allowed to be converted from leasehold to freehold with reasonable conversion charges. He said the UT Administration had suddenly increased the conversion or extra coverage charges from SCF to SCO on the V-4 road markets of Sector 7 to 30 from Rs1.5 lakh to Rs60-70 lakh by linking it to the collector rate. Levying such a huge amount for constructing already permitted extra coverage/changes in their own commercial property was unjustified and needed to be rationalised, he said.
He said the UT Administration had allotted booths in markets and sheds in the Industrial Area in 1970-80 at the then market price. “Now, the price of all properties, whether allotted or auctioned, has increased manifold. The Administration has started demanding one-third unearned profit on allotted property, which is unreasonable. The Administration should instead fix a reasonable lump sum amount,” he said.
The CBM chief said their other main demands include the implementation of the Apartment Act in the city, permission of general trade on the upper floors of SCO without any charges, permission to construct first floor on booths and bay shops, roll back of penalty on misuse and violations, etc.
“As some of the issues have already been recommended by the committee, we now request for resolving all remaining issues at the earliest,” he said.