Sealing drive: Shops remain close in S Delhi,protests continue

Shops and other commercial establishments in South Delhi remained closed today in protest against the ongoing sealing drive, even as traders body CAIT said it would call for a 'city bandh' if their grievances were not addressed.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) demanded immediate and direct intervention of Home Minister Rajnath Singh and urged him to initiate dialogue with a traders' delegation.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has sealed 38 commercial units so far.
Shops and commercial establishments in South Delhi's Greater Kailash, South Extension, Defence Colony, Hauz Khas, Yusuf Sarai remained closed today and no commercial activity took place, a CAIT statement read.

Traders and their employees protested at South Extension against the sealing exercise. They questioned the logic for levying conversion charges on old markets.
If the authorities do not hear traders out, they will be compelled to observe a 'Delhi bandh' in the near future, the statement read.
In the exercise undertaken on the directions of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, a number of commercial units have been sealed for non payment of conversion charges and other violations of Delhi Master Plan 2021.
Commercial units in North Delhi including 26 in New Qutub Road Market, 10 on old Lajpat Rai Market and three in Timarpur Market were sealed by the NDMC.