Ahmedabad: Eatery where Modi held Chai Pe Charcha sealed, NaMo tea stall dismantled

The NaMo tea stall, which was so named after the Chai pe Charcha session, was also dismantled by the civic body officials during the sealing drive on August 5.

The AMC has contended that despite several warnings, the entire complex of eight shops, mostly eateries, did not create enough space for parking, leading to congestion of S G Highway and several accidents.

The shopkeepers, however, alleged that members of Karnavati Club, one of the city’s oldest high-profile clubs located across the road, used to park their vehicles near the complex, leading to the congestion.

“The AMC officials came and dismantled NaMo tea stall, which had played host to Modi’s Chai Pe Charcha session. Our security guards help manage traffic here, but wealthy and influential guests of Karnavati Club do not pay heed them and park vehicles near our shops. We have submitted all the land records since 1988 to the AMC, but our shops are still sealed,” said Chetanbhai J Patel, who runs Arbuda Motors in the complex and co-owns the 5,700 sq meter land on which the complex stands.

Patel said on Saturday four shop owners gave an undertaking to the AMC’s estate department that a parking lot on the premise would be opened for their customers. When The Indian Express visited the spot, a few staff members were seen using Iskcon Ganthia premises, while securitymen guarded the entrance.

Giri Goswami, the husband of Amiben who runs Iskcon Ganthia for six years, said, “We have already incurred losses up to Rs 4 to 5 lakh… As our shop is running out of a rented premises… we have to pay a steep rent and staff salaries.”

AMC’s deputy estate officer of New West Zone Chaitanya Shah said, “This area is accident prone and 70 per cent of the 40-foot road is usually blocked by parked vehicles. We had warned the shop owners several times to manage their parking… The shops are also illegal as their plans have not been approved and they don’t even have the basic BU (Building Use) permission. Their impact fee has also not been regularised. The shops have been sealed indefinitely for now.”