VMC collects over 2 crore towards pending rent

Vadodara: The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) mopped up over Rs 2.03 crore towards pending rents from those allocated shops in the Padmavati Shopping Centre opposite Nyay Mandir by the civic body.
Several elected functionaries, including mayor and Sayajigunj MLA Keyur Rokadia and assembly chief whip Balkrishna Shukla, have been meeting shopkeepers in the complex for the last couple of months over various issues, including overdue rents. The possibility of revamping the entire area around Nyay Mandir is also being looked into.
Sources said that 188 shopkeepers from Padmavati Shopping Centre paid over Rs 2.03 crore towards rent, including overdue amount, over the last few weeks. The shopkeepers claim that the rents of most of the shops till March 31 are now paid and there are no dues.
The fate of the complex itself hangs in balance. In 2010, the VMC had proposed to raze it and construct something more suitable to the heritage monuments and Sursagar in the area.
This issue has been raised by some elected representatives again, but there is a difference of opinion.