The public auction of 69 shop premises constructed by the city municipal council drew a blank on Tuesday, with not even a single bidder turning up. This is the 11th time that the local agency put up the shops for auction.
The city municipal council constructed 125 shops at Santhe Maidan and Bhuvaneshwari Circle in 2012 under the chief minister’s small and integrated towns development programme. However, till now, the CMC has been able to auction only 56 shops. There was not even a single bidder for the public auction held on Tuesday despite the municipal authorities waiting for the whole day.
Traders opine that unchecked footpath business has hampering the auction of the shops. Deputy Commissioner Deepti Kanade, who is also the administrator of the municipality, has hinted at several measures to curb footpath vendors so that traders could be drawn to the shops constructed by the CMC.
She had suggested that collection of ground rent from footpath vendors be dropped. On the other hand, the CMC has issued notices to meat shops across the city to vacate their premises and shift to the mutton market complex on Santhe Maidan.
“Hawkers should have been checked much earlier. We have decided not to collect ground rent from them since we won’t be having moral ground to evict them by collecting rent. I have asked the municipal commissioner to identify suitable location for shifting hawkers on humanitarian ground,” the deputy commissioner said.
She said that since the hawkers do not pay any rent now, they cannot claim a right to do their business on footpath. Foothpaths are meant for pedestrians, the DC added.
Published 17 May 2017, 17:55 IST