A major decision to amend Delhi Master Plan-2021 was reported to have been taken at a meeting held by Lt Governor Anil Baijal with the Delhi Development Authority on Friday to ensure relief to commercial establishments from sealing drive.

The DDA declared that though under normal circumstances it took at least 45 days time to clear a proposal, realising the urgency of the situation the LG decided to clear the proposal to increase floor area ratio (FAR) for local shopping complexes in the coming three days.

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Three major decisions were taken to provide early relief to traders. First, the floor area ratio (FAR) was proposed to be increased from 180 to 300 per cent besides regularising agricultural godowns on 12-metre-wide roads. Secondly, conversion charges were proposed to be reduced. Finally the penalty on non-payment of conversion charges was proposed to be reduced to double the due amount from the current level which was10 times higher.

Informing about the meeting between Baijal and DDA members, leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta said: “Three proposals about amendments in Master Plan of Delhi-2021 have been passed. Period of proposal being put in public domain has been reduced from 45 days to three days. Proposal will be approved in another DDA meeting of LG house after 3 days.”

Not with standing the relief measures proposed to be taken, traders began a two-day bandh on Friday to protest against the sealing drive in the Capital. The striking traders claimed getting support of at least eight lakh shop owners and a large number of factories. Shops in major markets across Delhi remained closed to support the call for two-day bandh by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) against the recent sealing drive.

Praveen Khandelwal from CAIT claimed that shops would stay closed on Saturday as well.

“Even if any relief has been granted, the process is long drawn and till then the sealing drive will continue causing major losses. We will stick to our scheduled bandh. So far support has been encouraging, be it in Central Delhi or South Delhi markets,” said Khandelwal.

Reacting to the development, DDA member and AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said, “It’s BJP’s duty to plug loopholes in Master Plan as it is in majority at the Centre and municipal corporations. Sealing could’ve been prevented if the BJP wished.” He however admitted that all “legitimate demands” of Chief Minister Kejriwal were approved in the meeting between the L-G and the DDA. “These demands will be put in public domain,” he added.

According to the Master Plan of Delhi 2021, the FAR for LSCs constructed after 1962 is 180. However, the LSC shop owners were demanding that it should be increased to 300. Sealing started in Delhi on 22 December on directions of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.