MUMBAI, February 13: Steel traders and the state government seem to have gone on a war path over the controversial issue of shifting of traders from Masjid Bunder in Mumbai to Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai.While the government is adamant that the steel trade and traders should compulsorily shift to Kalamboli by March 31, 1998, traders have been against this directive, pointing poor infrastructural facilities at the new market.
This issue has been debated and shunned for over the past eight years, when the steel traders were coaxed to move to Kalamboli by K Nalinakshan, the then managing director of CIDCO. Nalinakshan is currently principal secretary of the Urban Development Department, Maharashtra.
Speaking this evening at the 46th Annual General Meeting of the Steel Chamber of India, Nalinakshan, said: "The government will be forced to take stern action if no clear understanding is reached between the department and the trade on this issue by April 1." This means that 1,960 traders would be forciblyevacuated from Masjid. On the other hand, because of Tisco, Sail and other steel majors shifting their warehouses to Kalamboli, 75 per cent of the steel trade (in volume terms) has shifted to Kalamboli.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
