The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Eviction notices to 70 shops in Fateh Maidan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 23, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Eviction notices to 70 shops in Fateh Maidan

Special Correspondent

SAAP gives them 15 days time to vacate premises

‘Notices served in pursuance of a resolution adopted by SAAP Board’
Shop-owners ready to pay enhanced rent from January 2008

— Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

Defiant attitude: Shopkeepers busy with the repair works at L.B. Stadium unmindful of SAAP’s directions to vacate the shops in view of the World Military Games.

HYDERABAD: Citing security reasons and facilitation of the Military World Games as reason, the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) has served eviction notices on all the 70 shops in the Lal Bahadur Stadium complex and Indoor Stadium.

All 43 shops in the LB Stadium complex and 27 around the Indoor Stadium have been given 15 days time to vacate or threatened to be evicted by force.

Another reason stated in the notices served on shop owners is that the lease deed has expired.

Shop-owners, who received notices dated September 19, were charged with continuing commercial activity while defaulting on rent.

A.K. Kaul, president of the Shop-Owners’ Association, said it was unfair for the authorities to serve eviction notices.

“We set up shop here at a time when no one was willing. Days would pass without a single customer walking in. We have now reached a stage when our business has stabilised. And now they want to throw us out. We have employed about 1,000 people,” he rued. In August, 2007, the shop-owners met the then Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, SAAP, D. Murali Mohan. It was agreed that rental would be enhanced by 20 per cent once in three years and arrears paid over a period of time.

Shop-owners now pay a rent of Rs. 3,101 for 664 square feet.

They are ready to pay the enhanced rent from January 2008. They have paid a few instalments of arrears twice or thrice and hence do not agree to being termed ‘defaulters’.

Little help

When they met the present Managing Director Vikas Raj, who took charge on September 5, he is understood to have expressed helplessness.

They are planning to meet Minister for Sports R. Damodar Reddy and even Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

Mr. Vikas Raj, when contacted, said the notices were served in pursuance of a resolution adopted by the SAAP Board based on the requirements of the military authorities. “We are just implementing the resolution,” he added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section