Delhi’s Khan Market is not only one of the most expensive markets in India but is also home to some of the finest eateries in Delhi-NCR. But this iconic place in Delhi might just become a ghost town as nearly 30 leading restaurants in Khan Market could be sealed off.
A monitoring committee formed by the Supreme Court has ordered New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) to seal restaurants above the ground floor in Khan Market for misuse of land under Master Plan 2021. It directed the civic body to collect use conversion charges from all 106 local shopping complexes by January 15, 2018, failing which the markets will be sealed.
Khan Market- Delhi
According to the masterplan, traders who are running commercial activities above the ground floor in local shopping complexes will have to pay use conversion charges at Rs 22,274 per square metre to the local body. Earlier, the rate was Rs 89,000 which was cut down to Rs 22,274 by the DDA.
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The restaurants, pubs and eateries at Khan Market have been under the radar for allegedly not following fire safety rules as a majority of the restaurants do not have clearance from the fire department. As per the National Building Code, 2005, restaurants with a seating capacity of less than 50 do not require fire clearance.
Khan Market- Delhi
Khan Market was established in 1951 and named in honour of Khan Abdul Jabbar. In 2010, it was rated as the world’s 21st most expensive retail high street by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield and is consistently ranked as one of the costliest high-end streets in India.
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