Four years after the construction of a new shopping complex building, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Tuesday sealed shops in the old facility in Jayanagar 4th Block.
BBMP officials sealed about 185 shops on Monday, stating that the old complex, inaugurated in 1975, was damaged due to incidents of fire and water leakage.
However, the move saw a drama unfold as traders at the old complex accused the BBMP of unilateral action without issuing notices to the shopkeepers.
They shifted their materials to the new complex after the BBMP decided to cancel permits of those who refused to move.
The BBMP first took up the issue of constructing a new complex in 2008 after the old shopping complex witnessed fire accidents. Though the new complex was constructed quite close to the existing complex, traders had refused to shift to the new one.
BBMP has now shut the old complex after several orders from the Lokayukta and high court.
The foundation laying of the old complex had taken place in 1973 during former chief minister Devaraj Urs’ period and was completed in 1975. The shopping complex was also touted to be one of the well-planned ones in Asia.
The new shopping complex was constructed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) at the cost of Rs 56 crore and has 225 shops.