‘Shops must be given same FAR as commercial areas’

New Delhi: Union minister Vijay Goel on Monday called on Union minister for urban development Hardip Puri to discuss issue of sealing. Mr Goel said that the Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee is going ahead of its jurisdiction and not following due processes of the law. 

The situation is alarming and has created panic and fear among the the city traders and various stakeholders, he said.

According to Mr Goel, the situation is sad. “On the one hand, we are witnessing the sealing drive   which is driving the hapless traders crazy, while on the other  hand, there is rampant illegal construction across the national capital. 

“It is important that those responsible for allowing illegal use of space are equally responsible and strict action must be taken against them. There must be an advertisement to enlighten the masses on these facts of sealing,” said Mr Goel. 

The Union minister also claimed that lack of coordination among the civic bodies and multiplicity of decision-making, all these are leading to chaotic and confusing situation. 

He also stressed on the need to initiate a mega plan by the Centre for help in all-round development of the national capital irrespective of the roles of the various civic bodies. 

“It is important to check roads based on commercial, residential or mixed land category and conversion rate must be decided accordingly. In mixed land use, the construction of shopping centres must be given the same floor area ratio (FAR) as the commercial areas,” Mr Goel added.