GHAZIABAD: The 100-odd shop owners of Indirapuram Habitat Centre , which was sealed by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) over the non-payment of Rs 49 crore dues by the developer, on Thursday staged a protest in front of the building demanding that they be allowed to continue with their commercial activity with immediate effect.They also formed an organization - Indirapuram Habitat centre Retailers Association – to take up their demand with the authorities through a legal channel. A memorandum was also given to district magistrate Ritu Maheshwari, who is also GDA vice-chairperson.The shopkeepers stated that they have either bought shops or taken them on lease at the IHC and continuing with their profession for the past two years.“On Wednesday the administration closed it completely without giving any prior notice to us. At present commercial activities are going on in 40% of the building. The GDA’s action is costing dearly to shop owners without their any fault. There are slim chances of the administration and the developer reaching a solution in near future, so the administration should have sealed the 60% of the building which is lying at vacant present to recover its due of Rs 49 crore,” the letter to Maheshwari further stated.Puneet Katphal, vice president of Indirapuram Habitat centre Retailers Association, said “The GDA’s action is completely illegal. Earlier, following the Allahabad High Court’s order, the developer had deposited Rs 70 crore and the authority was asked not to take any other action till further orders.”"Many of us have bought space here after taking loans and paying EMI every month. Along with us the livelihood of over a thousand workers employed at shops have been affected badly. It is causing us a mental harassment too. We will once again carry out a protest on Friday. Every day we are losing Rs 2 crore in sales while the government is suffering a loss of Rs 25 lakh in Goods and Services Taxes,” Kathpal added.

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