Capital ‘held to ransom’ by traders, says Delhi HC

NEW DELHI: In an apparent disapproval of the government’s proposed amendment of the master plan after traders protested against the sealing drive, the Delhi high court has observed that a few people have “held the city to ransom”.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar stated that by sitting on a dharna “you can get the master plan changed”. “Not because it is required nor after checking if the city can handle it. It is done because a few hundred people sit on a dharna.”

“The master plan is being amended as the traders have held the city to ransom by closing down their shutters,” it said and asked the authorities whether an environment impact assessment was conducted before proposing to amend the Master Plan-2021.

The Master Plan-2021 is a blueprint for urban planning and expansion in the metropolis to ensure overall development and the proposed amendments were for bringing a uniform floor area ratio for shop-cum-residential plots and complexes on par with residential plots.

The observations came while hearing matters related to illegal constructions and encroachment of public land. On February 2, the traders shut down shops in opposing sealing of commercial establishments running from residential areas.