DEOLALI CAMP: The 21-year-old affair of Deolali Camp’s Levitt Market will end now and finally provide relief to board members, shopkeepers, and residents.
MP Hemant Godse, Deolali Cantonment Board’s former vice president Bhagwan Katariya, Liaquat Qazi, Gautam Gajre, Prakash Kewlani of Levitt Market Vyapari Association, and Adv. Ajay Toshniwal met Director General Ajay Sharma in Dehli to submit a letter requesting renovation of the old Levitt Market to construct a new complex instead, under BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) contract i.e., a complex self-financed by the shopkeepers.
Sharma assured that their demand is free and just, and he will discuss the matter with Defence Secretary and other officials. After all the suggestions, he will submit the report to the Ministry of Defence for the final decision.
The Deolali Cantonment Board’s Levitt Market area has been leased out to traders for several years now. However, the vyapari association moved to court to seek justice as board announced shops’ auction 21 years ago. According to them, old shopkeepers needed to be prioritised as they have served in the market for the past 70 years.
At present, the shopkeepers are ready to pay an increased rent to the board. The case, dragging on for the past 21 years, shall come to an end now as shopkeepers have decided to finance the construction of a new complex following the demolition of the Levitt Market area. In their terms, the shopkeepers have demanded to reserve around 153 shops in the new complex for Levitt Market’s old shopkeepers.
They added that the board can auction the rest of the complex’s shops. Convinced by the shopkeepers’ demand, the board had passed the resolution in their board meeting. However, as Deolali Cantonment Board comes under the Ministry of Defence, the delegation met Director General Ajay Sharma to submit their demand and seek a positive response. Now, the board members and shopkeepers await MoD’s approval to kick start the work.