Curated by - Baghwan Das Beragi | CITYCHIEFNEWS

Shajapur, By June 2023, after completing the construction work of the bus stand by the municipality, the agreement for allotting shops to the traders was edited on the stamp of 1000. Which was also duly notarized. And according to this promise, the traders had vacated the bus stand and handed over the possession of their shops to the municipal administration in December 2021, then due to the administration being occupied in NAPA, the then CMO on behalf of the municipal administration under the charge of District Magistrate Dinesh Jain. Bhupendra Kumar Dixit had got the said agreement edited. But now February is about to pass, 14 months have passed and about 4 months are left. According to this, 90 percent of the work was supposed to be completed, but half of it, about 45 percent, has not been completed.
Whereas, according to the agreement, the municipal administration has deposited Rs 2 lakh each from the traders, out of the fixed amount of Rs 4 lakh for the cost of shop construction, on the height of the roof. In which NAPA issued 3 days notice to the traders and ordered them to deposit the amount immediately. In which it was also said that the contract would be canceled if the deposit was not made. However, the amount has also been deposited by the traders.
Map technically spread on the pass
The under-construction map of the bus stand is being technically passed with many flaws but is being told to be practically spread. The shops on the ground floor of the bus stand have also been made smaller than before. Along with this, the shops which are being constructed on the first floor of the bus stand have been kept only 10 feet including the height roof, whose columns and beams are visible at 8 and a half feet. According to the contractor, the construction is being done as per the design and the height has been kept at 3 metres. Now while the height of commercial shops is being kept at 12 to 14 feet in cities and metros. In such a situation, how business activities will be conducted in shops of 3 meters height, it is beyond understanding. Also, the grandeur that was there in the earlier bus stand is still not visible anywhere. The traders and residents of the bus stand have already expressed dissatisfaction with the shops being constructed on the first floor of the bus stand which are opening inside and have demanded to change it. Which was denied by the construction agency despite the intervention of NAPA President.
Amount deposited as per the agreement
According to the agreement, out of the fixed amount of Rs 4 lakh for the shop construction cost, the municipal administration has deposited Rs 2 lakh each from the traders on the roof height. In which NAPA issued a notice of 3 days to the traders and ordered them to deposit the amount immediately, in which it was also said that the contract would be canceled if the deposit was not made. However, an amount of two lakhs has also been deposited by the traders as the cost price.
Economic crisis deepens on traders
The economic crisis is deepening on about 75 families doing business at the bus stand. Inconvenience to the residents due to non-availability of bus stand is a different thing. But more than 75 businessmen doing business there and about 150 families dependent on them have faced livelihood crisis. Where shops are provided alternatively. The business there has not even been 25 percent. The employees working there have also been trimmed. The back of the traders was broken due to the first 2 years of lock down, so now many traders are suffering from stress and are in debt due to the imposition of economic burden by the municipality in the form of cost price.
They say...
In the meetings from time to time, he directs the officers to keep evaluating the construction works keeping in mind the speed and time limit of the construction works. Action will be taken if the engineers are negligent in the evaluation. Along with this, I will direct the officials to complete the bus stand within the time limit. Along with this, I myself will also inspect the under construction bus stand.
– Dinesh Jain, Collector Shajapur
Traders should be rest assured that the shops will be given to the traders as per the agreement as per the stipulated time. Those traders who will deposit the full amount of Rs 4 lakh towards the cost of shop construction will be allotted shops by June 2023. Also, as far as the first floor is concerned, I will come tomorrow to see the height of the shops and the quality and speed of other works.
Prem Jain, President- NAPA-Shajapur.
In the past also we have taken decisions only in the interest of public and traders. And in future also the battle will be fought in the interest of the traders. I am soon going to meet the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and the Minister of Urban Administration and give a memorandum in this regard to complete the construction work by the deadline of June 2023 and to appoint a permanent CMO in Shajapur.