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VMC, Vastralata traders lock horns

Friday, 12 April 2013 07:09 administrator
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The Hindu                       12.04.2013

VMC, Vastralata traders lock horns

G.V.R. Subba Rao

The VMC authorities place issue before Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) authorities are firm on collecting dues from Vastralata traders. They have also geared up to revise the rent by 33.3 per cent very soon.

The Vastralata traders, with active support of local MLAs, have been demanding the Corporation to sell away the shops rented to them. The issue has become a topic for discussion in the corridors of the Corporation. The employees were seen discussing that the MLAs were mounting pressure on VMC higher ups to heed their suggestion. The higher ups brought the matter to notice of Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration. They sought the CDMA direction in this regard, sources say.

The problem cropped up when the VMC authorities attempted to recover the mounting dues from shopkeepers in Vastralata complex. The shopkeepers in the complex have to clear the dues to the tune of Rs. 8 crore. There are 407 shops in the complex, and most of them are into wholesale textile business.

They are paying a rent of Rs. 20 lakh per month. As per the rules, the rent would be enhanced by 33.3 per cent. The traders were up in arms against the Corporation when it attempted to revise the rent in 2008. Some of them even moved court.

The VMC did not take much interest in 2011—three years from 2008 and hike the rent.

The issue was kept on backburner later. Cash-strapped VMC began exploring the revenue avenues, and found that the Vastralata shops rent revision was over due. The shopkeepers knocked the doors of MLAs saying that they were ready to buy the shops if VMC were ready to sell away.

As the MLAs responded positively to their plea, a tug of war is on between shopkeepers and the VMC authorities. “Come what may we will not bow down to the pressures. Vastralatha is a public property, and will be a public property,” said an official.

On the other hand, the VMC has pledged the Vastralata to Hudco to avail a loan of Rs. 100 crore.

The complex is valued at Rs. 70 crore. To avail the loan, the VMC mortgaged IV Palace and other properties. The Corporation is yet to clear the Hudco loan.

 

Corporation to reshuffle list of autorickshaw stands

Friday, 12 April 2013 00:00 administrator
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The New Indian Express                12.04.2013

Corporation to reshuffle list of autorickshaw stands

With autorickshaws parked on the footpath pedestrians are left with no choice but to walk on the road | | K Rajesh Kumar
With autorickshaws parked on the footpath pedestrians are left with no choice but to walk on the road | | K Rajesh Kumar

In the wake of the recent High Court order on setting up autorickshaw stands after giving due pedestrian space the Kochi Corporation authorities are all set to reshuffle the list of autorickshaw stands in the city.

Earlier, the civic body had decided to regularise the number of autorickshaw stands in the city by joining hands with various departments.

The plan of the Corporation is to limit the number of autorickshaw stands by identifying the spots for the stands, relocating the existing ones and making sure that the stands abided by the norms of the Motor vehicles Department.

Even before the High Court order, the authorities had taken a decision to allow stands only on roads having a width of seven metres.

Through the plan the Corporation aims to make sure that the authorities have a proper control over the autos.

“The proposal to set up new autorickshaw stands and assess the total number of rickshaws running in the city is expected to give a direct control over the vehicles.

Accordingly, we have prepared a list of the autorickshaw stands required in the city,” said Mayor Tony Chammany.

He said that though the civic body is yet to receive the High Court order in this regard, the Corporation would make sure that enough walking space was provided to pedestrians.

As per the High Court order, auto rickshaw stands should be permitted only after leaving a minimum one-and-a-half-metre space for pedestrians. “We have already given instructions to allow auto stands to be set up only on roads which have a minimum width of eight metres,” he said.

 

MUDA cautions against unauthorised sale of sites

Thursday, 11 April 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Hindu                         11.04.2013

MUDA cautions against unauthorised sale of sites

Special Correspondent

The Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has cautioned people against falling prey to middlemen who are creating false documents and selling MUDA sites, although the authority continued to retain ownership over them.

In a release, MUDA said beneficiaries of sites in old residential areas such as Gayatripuram 2nd stage, Kesare, Gokulam 3rd stage and Siddartha Layout were yet to clear dues or construct houses, and hence ownership rights continued to be with the authority. However, some middlemen were creating false documents with forged signatures of MUDA officials and trying to sell the sites.

 
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