The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) today removed nearly 180 shops to felicitate broadening and construction of a road leading to Rajiv Chowk here after the shopkeepers refused to vacate the premises and move to alternative sites.
The civic agency said it was supported by the Delhi police in the drive to vacate the shops situated at Panchkuian Road.
Seventy-five shops were allotted by the MCD under the 'Teh Bazari' schemes and 25 shops allotted by its Land and Estate Department, it said.
The shopkeepers, who have already been allotted shops at a market constructed by DMRC at Bhai Veer Singh Marg near Gole Market, had refused to vacate their premises, it said.
"The structures were required to be vacated for construction of a road from Rajiv Chowk entry to Jhandewalan side. The road from this side could not be developed as the occupants of these shops were not vacating them and had approached various courts and were under litigation for more than five years," the release added.
The civic body swung into action after the courts lifted the stay restraining it from demolishing the shops.
