New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Thursday sealed 54 shops operating from basements of four building complexes at Old Delhi ’s Kucha Mahajani Market, citing violation of Master Plan norms.
The action, which comes amid an intensified MCD enforcement drive against dangerous and illegal buildings following the Satya Niketan tragedy, was carried out at 11.30am, following which the civic body pasted sealing notices outside the shops. Its order stated that commercial activity was being carried out in the basements of these shops in violation of provisions of Master Plan of Delhi (MPD)-2021. Their owners and occupiers (tenants) had been directed to submit affidavits that they would stop commercial activities and were made liable to pay a penalty amounting to 10 times the annual conversion charges. “Thereafter, multiple opportunities were given in 2025 to the occupiers to reply. In Nov 2025, representatives from these shops attended MCD hearings and shared details of taxes submitted. But, according to Clause 15.6.1 of MPD, the use of basement is strictly subject to obtaining clearance from the fire department.
To complete the proceedings, the building department of City Sadar Paharganj zone asked for copies of the notices to be resent so that fresh replies could be submitted. Without this, there is complete infringement of planning norms and this poses safety risks,” the sealing order, signed by the deputy commissioner of the zone, stated.
Stating that it acted on the directions of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, MCD said the sealing is “aimed at preventing any untoward incident and for safeguarding public safety”. A show-cause notice had been issued in Nov 2019 under Section 345A, directing the shops to stop the “misuse” and restore the premises to permitted use within 48 hours, according to the order. the file went missing While the occupiers did submit their replies.
We have been running these shops for 40 years. The action has made us and several of our staffers jobless,” Singhal said, adding that following the Bhagirath Palace fire in 2022, govt has failed to redevelop the market till date. Because even the upper floors do not have fire NOCs,” said Yogesh Singhal, president of All India Bullion and Jewellers Association, if MCD is actually concerned about safety, it should declare the entire buildings unsafe.
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Councillors and MLAs are aware of the situation,” said a trader. The traders, however, questioned whether any market in Old Delhi has fire no objection certificates (NOCs). “The action was totally biased. So why has the fire NOC suddenly been demanded? They have pasted backdated orders and sealed the shops. “When we came to the market in the morning, we suddenly found the shops had been sealed. Our stock (jewellery and bullion) worth crores remain locked inside the premises. The action is not justified, especially when the authorities and govt have failed to implement any redevelopment plan for the area. Why should traders pay for years of govt inefficiency? “Why was MCD collecting property tax, conversion charges and other payments if they think we were operating illegally? Download the TOI App.