NOIDA: Fearing action from the Noida Authority which has decided to start its sealing drive from Wednesday, commercial establishments operating out of residential areas in Noida have started shutting shop. The targets for sealing include banks.
As customers made a beeline to empty their bank lockers – around 75,000 lockers had been cleaned out, sources claimed – the Noida Bank Residents’ Premises Association planned to move court against the drive.
The industrial sectors of Noida too received notices to stop violating the land use defined in their lease deeds.
Noida Authority’s sealing drive – set to begin today – will target real estate shops, fitness centres, beauty parlours, departmental stores and health clinics apart from banks opearting from residential premises. After a brief lull and detailed deliberations, the authority decided to start sealing of all commercial establishments from February 1.
“The drive will be four-week long and cover all establishments including banks, nursing homes and other businesses ,” said an Authority official. “We are also taking action against commercial units running in industrial sectors. If allottees do not conform to their land use stipulation, plot allotments can be cancelled,” Anil Raj Kumar, addl CEO said.
“Following the December 5, 2011 Supreme Court ruling directing that all commercial activity in residential areas to be stopped forthwith, we had been surveying the city for unauthorized activities to bring them to book,” said Kumar.
“We have now decided to launch a formal crackdown on all such establishments after serving the final notice to violators .” Kumar said in the first phase of the sealing drive, establishments operating illegally in residential areas will be on the radar. “Thereafter, industrial and institutional areas will be addressed,” the ACEO added.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed across the city. Several sectors where commercial activity in residential areas is rampant wore a deserted look with most shops downing shutters . “We are not going to take a chance and have decided to pack up and move our stuff,” said Bhupendra Singh who runs a courier agency from sector 12. “Our landlord has asked us to move out. If we do not wind up our business, the authority will seal their premises,” said Pawan Kumar, who runs a beauty parlour from sector 19.
Also, some banks have written to the authority alleging that the scheme announced by them on January 25, was not feasible . The sealing drive is also drawing mixed reactions from residents of the city. Pankaj Bhatia, a property owner, feels the sealing drive is a move in the right direction. “If this step is not taken now, a few years down the line there will be no place for people to live comfortably. Already there is an acute shortage of parking space in most residential areas due to commercial activity,” Bhatia added.
Vandana KeelorVandana Keelor, TNN | Feb 1, 2012, 08.07AM IST
