Delhi's defence colony loses its business, buzz

Somnath sits at the cash counter, staring at the clock. It is past 2 pm in the afternoon and no customer has arrived at his restaurant — Akasaka, in Delhi’s Defence Colony.
As many as 51 commercial establishments, including popular eateries, in the Defence Colony area, run from the first floor of buildings, were sealed on December 22, 2017 | PARVEEN KUMAR
As many as 51 commercial establishments, including popular eateries, in the Defence Colony area, run from the first floor of buildings, were sealed on December 22, 2017 | PARVEEN KUMAR

NEW DELHI: Somnath sits at the cash counter, staring at the clock. It is past 2 pm in the afternoon and no customer has arrived at his restaurant — Akasaka, in Delhi’s Defence Colony. While the countdown to the New Year has begun, the once-bustling and posh market area in the national capital wears a dreary look.
Akasaka was one of first commercial establishments in the city to face the sealing drive on December 22, 2017. Though two of its floors were sealed during the drive, the eatery still one of the most sought after in the area. However, shrinkage of space in the wake of the sealing has emerged as major concern for both the customers and owners of the eatery.

“Our restaurant is widely known for its food and ambience. However, post the sealing drive, we are left with very little space for our customers. We can’t blame the customers for our dwindling footfall. Who would want to sit in a congested space? Over the last one year, we have lost business worth around R40,000 on a daily basis due to the non-availability of two floors,” said Somnath, the eatery’s manager.

As many as 51 commercial establishments at Defence Colony, operating from the first floor of buildings, were sealed on December 22, 2017. More than 200 officials, including police personnel and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials, descended on the market that day. The action by the MCD came on the direction of the monitoring committee set up by the Supreme Court.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) issued a statement saying action was taken against the owners who did not pay the conversion charge as per the Master Plan, 2021. The action was taken after repeated reminders by the corporation to commercial units in the Defence Colony area to pay the conversion charge, elicited no response. While sealing the ‘illegal’ establishments, the civic officials said that in Defence Colony, which is known as a shopping-cum-residential area, commercial establishments can only be operated from the ground floor and the first floor is to be used for residential purpose.

“It’s not as if the market is deserted, but occupancy at commercial establishments here has gone down by 50 per cent. It has affected all of us,” Amit, a parking attendant of the SDMC in the Defence Colony area said, adding, “even a year ago, finding a spot to eat or park one’s car, even on weekdays, was next to impossible. Now, the crowd seems to have turned its back to the market area.”

On a visit to the market, this correspondent was greeted by an empty staircase leading to a basement where once stood the Nature Soul Shop. A security guard, wearing a haggard look, said, “I worked for this shop for eight years. Now, the shop is sealed and my only job is to ensure no one breaks the glass door. I don’t know when I will return to my old job. It’s poor people like us who have been hit the hardest by the sealing drive. Rich traders can survive losses, but not us.”

Rajendra Malik, president, Defence Colony Market Association, said, “Only a handful of establishments, which faced sealing, have been able to survive losses. Around eight restaurants and shops have closed down completely. We tried to wake the authorities from their slumber, but nothing changed on the ground.”

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