Sealing illegal under Master Plan: Ajay Maken

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken (File)

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken held a meeting with members of the Supreme Court-constituted monitoring committee on Thursday and said the ongoing sealing drive in Delhi was “illegal as the existing laws in the Master Plan of Delhi 2021 do not permit the same”. “We are hopeful that no sealing will take place in special areas and village abadi areas of Delhi,” he said.

The former Union Minister of State for Urban Development — under whose tenure the Master Plan 2021 was designed — said additional floor area-ratio and basements should be allowed for commercial purposes in local shopping centres, without the owners having to pay conversion charges, because there was provision in the law for it.

“Sealing cannot happen in markets that existed before 1962, including Chandni Chowk, Paharganj, Shahdara Town and Sadar Bazar, as the law permits them to use their premises for commercial use without any documentary proof… If the committee does not listen to me, I will move the Supreme Court to make my submissions,” he said.