A three storey building complex at Ghantaghar was seized and sealed early today morning.As per information available, a building housing approximately 46 shops was seized by authorities in an early morning clamp down. The building, constructed and owned by Krishnaraj Developers of Udaipur, was seized following multiple notices given to the building owners, demanding that the shops be closed and commercial activity be seized.  Each of the three floors houses 14-15 shops.  The average paper cost of each shop, which is approximately 120 sqft, is Rs 8 Lakh.  Consolidated sale of 15 shops has been recorded till date.

It was informed that the building was originally constructed on residential permit, but the owners were running commercial shops and offices, by renting out the premises.  Multiple notices had been served, and since there was no action taken by the developers, the authorities seized the building in an operation at 5:30am on Monday morning.

The shopkeepers were in shock, for a lot of investment has come under the hammer of the administration.  This resembles the infamous Varun Mall phenomena, when the administration was purposely silent during the construction of the premises, and even registry of the sold shops was done.  It was only later that the administration decided that the construction was illegal and seized the property.  The developer constructor administration nexus is causing millions of rupees of dead investment to pile up, which is sure to result in public chaos.

Inder Singh Mehta, the President of Jewelers Association in Udaipur, has taken up the question with the authorities – that when the construction was happening on the main road at Ghantaghar area, what was the administration doing.  Even if the plot was residential and permission was residential, then why was registry of commercial units done?

DDevelopers Rakesh Rathod and Prakash, in their conversation with media said that the land was 40% commercial and 60% residential, and that the UMC has given consolidated permission.  But now, due to new rules, the UMC has taken this action – which is not warranted.

Siddharth Sihag, Commissioner, UMC however clarified that in accordance with the 2035 masterplan, it was not possible to convert the property into commercial category.  The shopkeepers and developers had been warned before, but they did not take the warnings seriously.  Seizure was the only option available to the UMC.