NDMC seals key SDMC office at civic centre

In a major face off between BJP ruled two municipal corporations, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Monday sealed the office of personal secretary to Commissioner, South Delhi Municipal Corporation at Civic Centre for failure to pay its ground rent and license fee for the area occupied in the building.

The seal was broken within two hours by the SDMC for which the NDMC mulling to lodge a formal police complaint. According to sources at the Civic Centre, city’s tallest building, the NDMC officials had sealed the office of PS to SDMC’s commissioner at 8.30am situated at ninth floor of ‘E’ wing of building, which houses executive wings of both the corporations since 2012. “By 11.30am the seal was broken by the SDMC. We are exploring the various options available under DMC act to take action against the person or institutions, which broke the seal put by the civic officials. We may lodge an FIR against the SDMC,” said a well-placed source in the NDMC. The NDMC on September 1, sent a notice to the commissioner, SDMC saying that failure to pay ` 810.88 crore within seven days, the NDMC shall be constrained to take appropriate legal and coercive action including locking of the premises occupied by the SDMC and denying the entry of its officers in the building. “Due amount will come handy for reviving financial health of the NDMC, which is reeling under severe financial crisis,” said an official.

The decision by the executive also came as surprise to the political leadership of both the corporations. The BJP leaderships in both the civic bodies tried to downplay the incident. Mayor, SDMC, Shyam Sharma, however, said that the South Corporation would continue to occupy the building till it gets its own headquarters as the term agreed at the time of trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. “We are legally occupying the building and no one can threaten us with such coercive action,” added Mr Sharma.