Traders belonging to the Indiranagar Owners, Traders and Residential Welfare Association are planning to make an appeal before the high court against the BBMP's drive to shut down commercial establishments in residential areas.

They have also threatened to commit suicide if the BBMP and the state government do not accept their demands. The association members are planning to seek the civic body's help in filing the appeal.

Addressing a meet at the Press Club on Saturday, S G Adithya, secretary of the association, said: "We have been running our businesses for the past 40 years and now, based on directions from Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister G Parameshwara, the BBMP officials are shutting down commercial establishments in residential areas. This is affecting small-scale businesses like grocery stores, bakeries, and medical shops, among others." 

"The residents of Indiranagar appealed to the high court in 2016, and the civic body has been following its orders since then. But nobody is listening to the other side of the story, despite us raising our demands multiple times," Adithya said. He added that zonal regulations are violated by the pubs and bars situated in the area, and not by the small establishments.

Earlier this week, Parameshwara has ordered the BBMP officials to shut down the commercial establishments in residential areas. The officials have accordingly begun the drive from the west zone. According to this, commercial establishments functioning in residential areas, especially on roads that are less than 40 ft, will be closed.