Monday, September 18 2006 15:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Protests against the ongoing drive by civic authorities of sealing properties here gathered strength today (Sept 18, 2006) as traders in the city plan to go on a strike Wednesday.

"We are planning to call for a strike against the sealing as the traders are suffering the most due to these drives of the Government," said Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). He said the confederation had agreed to call for a strike Wednesday.

Meanwhile, civic authorities continued to seal properties in 70 upmarket localities in the category of A and B in the capital.

The sealing was, however, delayed in some areas due to lack of police assistance, said a senior official of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The official added that the drive started on time in areas like Okhla and New Friends Colony but was delayed in Greater Kailash and Chittaranjan Park - all in south Delhi.

The civic authorities would target hazardous units, banquet halls and commercial establishments in these localities.

Over 40,000 trading units, which earlier submitted affidavits in the Supreme Court saying they would shift their shops themselves, would also be sealed.

Delhi traders got a reprieve Friday as authorities allowed businesses to come up in residential premises on nearly 2,200 roads. Civic authorities have sealed over 1,600 commercial units in the past two weeks of the drive that started Sep 1.