Palike to cancel licenses of illegal commercial units

Following strict orders by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad has directed his officials to cancel trade licenses of commercial establishments running illegally in residential areas.

At the council meeting on Wednesday, several corporators raised the issue of menace caused due to compromising zonal regulations in residential areas.

Reacting to this, Prasad said: “We have received strict orders from Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara to shut illegal shops in residential areas. As this problem exists for a long time, I have ordered the officials to act immediately. If the shop owners do not budge, then we will lock their establishments. The last resort would be to lodge FIRs with police.”

“We have also asked officials to cancel trade license of illegal commercial shops in metro stations,” said Prasad.

Prasad also said the civic body would hold a drive to crack down on illegal shops run in basements shortly.

"Usually people take permission for a convention hall, and we sanction the building plan approval if they have enough space for parking. But this is being misused, and commercial shops are run in many places. We will look into this," he said.