NIT begins razing 33 shops for Sitabuldi mall completion

Nagpur: Having received the green signal from the Supreme Court, Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) on Tuesday started demolishing part of 33 shops on the right side of Sitabuldi market to allow completion of Glocal Square Mall, now renamed as World Trade Centre Nagpur. The civic agency later suspended demolition and gave three days to the shopkeepers to vacate the premises.
NIT team with a posse of 210 police personnel started demolition of four shops in the morning. Other shopkeepers then started to vacate their goods. In the afternoon, some shopkeepers met NIT chairman Sheetal Teli-Ugale and requested time to remove their goods. Ugale gave them three days.

There was tension for some time when demolition had commenced. However, police brought the situation under control. The NIT team comprising executive engineer PP Dhankar, divisional officer Pankaj Ambhorkar, and enforcement officer Manohar Patil returned after extension was given by Ugale. NIT officials told TOI that part of shops marked for demolition will be razed on February 9 even if shopkeepers fail to move out.

NIT officials said 8m area at the rear will be demolished while shopkeepers can keep doing business in remaining 12 meters towards Sitabuldi market road. All shopkeepers will be given shops in the mall on completion, and the shops demolished completely.

Out of 148 shopkeepers 130 support the project, and 18 were in opposition, and approached the high court. The HC order in favour of opposers was challenged by NIT, mall developer Pune-based Goel Ganga Infrastructure, and shopkeepers of Abhyankar Road. The Apex Court ruled in favour of the project on January 22.

The developer is constructing the mall approved by the NIT under its Abhyankar Road Widening and Buty Mahal Street Scheme since 2014. The mall is spread over 6.5 acre and will cost over Rs500 crore at completion in 2020. It has basement parking, mezzanine, lower ground floor, ground floor and five floors. Some 3,000 shops including 981 mini-shops for hawkers and 10-screen multiplex are coming up in the mall. It will have parking for 1,500 four-wheelers, and 2,000 two-wheelers and bicycles each.