CRN Network, January 31, 2012, 1000 hrs
In a mark of solidarity, all the IT traders’ association in Delhi have come together for a symbolic bandh on February 1, by observing a two-hour protest between 10 am to 12 pm.
The symbolic bandh is being held to invite the attention of all concerned government authorities on the deteriorating conditions at Nehru Place, which is arguably the largest IT commercial center in the country.
“Nehru Place enjoys the status of being Asia's largest computer market and contributes largely toward direct, indirect taxes and export revenues of the country. However there has been complete apathy toward its development, security and maintenance by the Delhi government and all concerned civic authorities,” said Alok Gupta, Managing Director, Unistal Systems, and Executive Council Member, PCAIT, one of the IT trade bodies supporting the protest.
ADCTA, CMDA and EPSA are the other three trade bodies that are part of this symbolic movement. The IT associations expect 15,000 registered merchant establishments at Nehru Place to participate in the protest.
“We at Nehru Place have formed a common platform of all the existing associations of various business verticals with a common objective of Nehru Place Bachao. Through this platform we have conducted a signature campaign of all stake-holders supporting our claim of slum-like situation in the plaza,” said Mahinder Aggarwal, President, ADCTA.
In the past, these associations have presented the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and other civic authorities with ample video, photographic and documentary evidence of the degeneration happening at Nehru Place, but this obviously has fallen on deaf ears, according to Gupta.
Highlighting one of the biggest concerns of Nehru Place, Gupta said, “In the wake of the terrorist threats in Delhi, Nehru Place is the most vulnerable commercial center owing to a large number of people thronging the place through more than porous entry and exit points. Further, the unabated encroachment by street hawkers is crowding the area thus creating safe havens for terrorists to mingle and successfully execute their nefarious missions. In the past, we have drawn the government’s attention to the huge potential security threat, and even suggested several public-private partnership options to address them. However no solution has been forthcoming from them,” said Gupta.
Download the Nehru Place’s Memorandum to the Government
The other big issue that Nehru Place faces is that of piracy. It has been recently named as the one of the biggest hubs for piracy and counterfeit goods in the world by a report released by the US Trade Representative.
“The US report gives a terrible name to Nehru Place, and several of the legitimate companies who operate out of it. Such activities are mostly carried out by hawkers who are not members of Nehru Place commercial center. Anyone walking through the marketplace can see these hawkers rampantly selling pirated products and yet there has been no action by the enforcement agencies,” opined Gupta.
In all, the associations have listed 10 key issues that require immediate attention of the concerned authorities. “We have submitted the memorandum to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor listing all the 10 key issues and also proposed solutions to these issues. Now we want to see them act,” said Anil Sehgal, President, Nehru Place Improvement and Welfare Association.
Gupta added that this is the first in the series of activities that the associations will initiate to give Nehru Place a rightful place as the world’s leading IT commercial center. “Nehru Place has been instrumental in the progress of the Indian IT industry and deserves to be converted into a world class commercial center. We are committed to ensuring this,” concluded Gupta. |