In Delhi, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has increased the trade license fee from April 1. This fee is almost 17 times more than the current fee so far. Because of this, the traders who come under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation are very angry. According to an estimate, about 4 lakh traders come under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.
North MCD is the most important corporation of Delhi. Most of the big markets like Kashmere Gate, Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Chawri Bazar, Naya Bazar, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Place, Lajpat Rai Market, Azad Market, Kamla Nagar, Rohini, Pitampura, Model Town, Mukherjee Nagar, Wazirpur, Avantika all like Major markets come under North MCD only.
Lakhs of shopkeepers were waiting for the lockdown to open for the last 2 months, but immediately after the lockdown opened, the proposal to increase the trade license was implemented by North MCD. Traders say that during the period of severe pandemic like Corona, the business of traders was already at a standstill and now this increase in trade license fee has increased the concerns of the traders.
According to the new license fee structure, people whose shops are of 10 square meters will now have to pay an annual license fee of Rs 3,450 instead of Rs 500. Earlier it was Rs 500 for less than 20 square meters. But now less than 10 is Rs 3450 annually and 11 to 20 square meters is Rs 8,625. On the other hand, if the shop is more than 20 square meters, then there will be a meter add on Rs 144. Whereas showroom owners will have to pay a maximum license fee of Rs 57,000.
This year i.e. in the year 2021, it was implemented back from April 1, but due to the second wave of Corona, there was a lockdown of about two months once again and as soon as the lockdown opened, the pressure on traders to deposit trade license fees started increasing. The businessman is very angry. Traders demonstrated by gheraoing the Kashmiri MCD office on Friday. This demonstration was led by CTI (Chamber of Trade and Industry) which is continuously opposing it.
On this issue, some members of traders’ organization CTI also met North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor to North MCD Commissioner Sanjay Goyal. Recently changed MCD Mayor Jai Prakash had assured the traders during his tenure that it would be removed but the Mayor’s term ended on June 14 and the new Mayor took over. After which the CTI met the commissioner. After which the traders say that they have refused to end it.
CAIT (Confederation of All Indian Traders) along with CTI has taken up this issue strictly. Praveen Khandelwal from CAT says that this will affect more than 4 lakh traders of Delhi. North MCD take back this decision as soon as possible.