BENGALURU : Ever since Indiranagar RWA members have been fighting against the commercialisation of their area, traders have been bearing the brunt of it. With trade licences neither being issued, not renewed, they say that this is adding to their struggle of making a living.
PS Aditya, secretary of the Indiranagar Owners and Traders' Association, says that individuals who wish to start a business have not been getting trade licences nor have the existing traders been able to renew their licences, which has forced them to shut down their businesses. “Authorities have not given a solution as to where traders can set up their businesses,” he said.
Keshavan, who has a startup in HAL 2nd stage, said that they are working with the fear that the BBMP could by shut their shops down any day without notice. "We have been receiving notices for two years. I was forced to take down our board because that was bothering the RWA members," he says.
At present, commercialisation of any sort has come to a halt between 1st main to 10th main road in Indiranagar 2nd stage. But Anusha Pinto, who had started her eatery eight months ago, said that despite paying commercial tax, electricity and water bills, and procuring an NOC from residents, they are still facing issues with their licences. "If we had known there was an issue, we would never have started the business in the first place," she said. BBMP zonal Joint commissioner Dr Ashok was not available for comment.