Doctors are Leaders today. Traders examine legal angles of conversion charge ruling

New Delhi, July 1 (PTI): Delhi traders on Friday said they would explore legal possibilities on the issue of conversion charges for regularisation of commercial properties in the wake of the High Court staying its payment by doctors and lawyers.

Source  The Hindu News Update Service

HC breather for doctors

 June 29 2007: A day before a government notification demanding legal and medical professionals to pay up mixed land use and parking fee was to come in effect, the Delhi High Court on Friday passed an order of interim stay on the authorities’ move till July 10, the next date of hearing.

The order came on separate petitions filed by the Delhi High Court Bar Association and the Delhi Medical Association challenging a set of regulations drafted by the DDA on November 20, 2006 “demanding payment of conversion charges for land use and also one-time cost for development of parking space” from professionals.
Drawing inference from the Masterplan-2021:
Counsel for the High Court body argued that the document allowed advocates to use 50 per cent of the residential premises for professional purposes.The Association counsel added that the DDA regulations of November 20 were “illegal and ultravires” and “completely inconsistent” with the Masterplan.“The Masterplan does not make any mention either of conversion charges or one-time parking fee, except in the case of appropriate charges in case of use of basement for professional activities,” the counsel submitted.
Toeing the same line, the counsel for the medical body sought the court’s intervention to restrain the civic authorities from levying such charges on activities pertaining to medical profession.
On the other hand, the counsel for MCD and DDA countered that mixed land use for professional activities can be carried out by the members of both associations only after making payment of necessary charges as per the regulations.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, a Bench led by Justice H R Malhotra wrapped up the controversy with the observation that:
The guidelines of the February 7, 2007 Masterplan would prima facie override the earlier DDA regulations of November 20.“The associations have been able to make out a prima facie case in their favour entitling them to interim injunction, especially in view of the fact that Masterplan was notified on February 7, 2007 whereas the DDA Regulations imposing the charges is of a prior date,” the Bench said.

Source: HC breather for doctors, lawyers

BJP backs stir against parking fee and conversion charges

Delhi BJP president Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday declared that the party would seek closure of all health services on Wednesday in support of the doctors’ demand that the conversion fee and parking fee, being imposed on the service providers by the Union Urban Development Ministry, be waived off in the interest of health services in the city.Warning that imposition of these charges would lead to obstruction in trade and increase the cost of health care, Dr. Vardhan said there were about 1,000 nursing homes and 15,000 clinics operating in Delhi. “As much as 80 per cent of the health service in Delhi is in the private sector. The work which the Government cannot do is being undertaken by the private sector. If these services are disturbed by arbitrary taxes then the health services would be paralysed and the lives of the people would be put to danger,” he cautioned.Admitting that there is a lot of acrimony among the doctors and traders against the proposed imposition of conversion and parking fees, he announced that the party would hold a protest demonstration at Raj Ghat.Dr. Vardhan insisted that the doctors’ demand was very reasonable.

source :The Hindu : New Delhi News : BJP backs stir against parking fee

http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/27/stories/2007062756750400.htm

Mixed land use charges

Following is the Rate Chart for professionals (that includes medicos)
in Rs per sq mtr of built up area:

Professional activities:
A&B Colonies 192
C&D Colonies 128
E, F & G Colonies 48

Other Activities:
A&B Colonies 383
C&D Colonies 256
E, F & G Colonies 96

(Doctors incidently can be accomodated in all 3 categories so you can choose the one that suits you rates in the last one (Retail) are high so I am not including them here)

This has to be deposited along with one time parking charges which are the same for all traders and professionals (Per sq meter of plot size)

A&B Colonies 210500
C&D Colonies 149750
E, F & G Colonies 66500
(shops of 20 sq mtr or less including clinics are exempt from paying parking charges)