NEW DELHI: The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has approved regularisation of alteration—wooden loft—made in the shops in Shankar Market in Connaught Place over the period of time.
The issue was pending for eight months as the proposal was cleared by the council following the plan prepared by the Department of Architecture in December.
A senior NDMC official said that lesseeses, owners, or occupants of the shops or stalls could apply for sanctioning of the plan and regularisation. No damage charges would be levied if the area of the loft is as par the plan approved by the council.
“Several shopkeepers or owners had built wooden lofts in their shops over the years. The space created by the addition is generally used to keep the stock or some other purposes. They have been seeking regularisation for long. The council has accepted their demand,” said the official.
The market, with shops or stalls on the ground floor and flats on the upper floor, was constructed in 1957. The shops and flats were mostly allotted to refugees who had come to Delhi after the partition.
It was earlier maintained by the Land and Development Office (L&DO) before NDMC took over in 2006. It consists of eight blocks with 110 shops, 54 stalls and 53 flats. Though the civic body had accepted the long-pending demand for regularisation, the approval is subjected to five conditions. According to the circular, the maximum permissible area for the loft is 50% of the lease area of the shop.
The loft shall be a temporary structure and should not be taller than 1.5 metres.
“The height of the shop should be 2.75 metre. The lowering of the shop floor is not permitted and action will be taken in case of any violation,” said the official.