TIRUCHY: The Tiruchy City Corporation recently conducted a public auction for shops in the renovated Chathiram bus stand. However, merchants who had shops inside the bus stand challenged this move in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. They claimed that the Corporation had, in 2019, promised them that it would give the shops to them after renovation and they vacated the old shops based on that assurance.
"About 54 merchants had shops inside the bus stand. In 2019, the Corporation served notice to the merchants, requesting us to vacate the shops for carrying out the renovation works. We approached the court, which directed the Corporation to allot temporary stalls for us. We were also promised that we would get the shops after the renovation. But, the court mentioned that it would be as per the rent rate in that particular year. We are willing to pay the current rent. However, the Corporation conducted an auction before fixing a new rent, which we have challenged in the court," Shiva, a merchant, said.
Several merchants, who had business in Chathiram, are currently functioning from temporary stalls allotted for them. They said that they avoided participating in the auction as many of the participants were quoting a huge sum for the shops.
"Out of the 54 shops, the civic body conducted auction of about 34. Some of the shops went for a monthly rent of more than `35,000 and `70,000. We would not get that much business to pay such a heavy rent. We used to pay about `5,600 as rent before the renovation," Manohar, who used to have business inside the bus stand, said.
Meanwhile, senior officials said they cannot comment on the issue as it is under the consideration of the court and also owing to the model code of conduct.
But, sources said the Corporation has not violated any rule by conducting the auction.
"Those shops are public property. Therefore, the old merchants cannot make a demand that it should be given to them. In 2019, the court had mentioned that shops can be given as per the new rent rate. In order to fix the new rent, we conducted a public auction. Had the old merchants participated in that auction and come up with a rent close to the highest bidder, we might have given priority to the person. But, the merchants, who used to have business inside the bus stand, were not willing to participate," a source said.