Panel to fix rent for Vellore bus stand shops

VELLORE: A four-member rent review committee is expected to finalise the rents for 72 shops in the Vellore new bus stand. Based on it, auctions would be held within a month once the recommendations are passed by the council, said Vellore Corporation Commissioner S Ashok Kumar on Friday.

Though inaugurated by Chief Minister MK Stalin in August end this year, the Rs 53.17 crore terminus still lacks passenger related amenities including hotels, shops and ATMs. Of the 85 shops built in the ground and first floors, seven rooms were allocated for CCTV monitoring, rest of the rooms for police and TNSTC personnel, baby feeding room and rest rooms for the travelling public while another six rooms were allocated to government enterprises like Aavin.

Though auctions were announced on August 3, they were suddenly cancelled for administrative reasons and no further action has been taken despite 50 days passing, sources added.

Ashok Kumar said, “the government method to calculate rent includes considering both the construction value and guideline value which for the bus stand area is very high as it is located in a prime area. Hence, the rent review committee is now checking rents of nearby establishments to see whether rents can be lowered to levels which traders can afford.”

Similarly, the huge Rs 5.10 crore shopping complex in front of the Vellore Collectorate office is now a haven for anti-socials and a den for drunkards due to high rents resulting in complex remaining non-functional even two years after completion.

“The rent committee is now checking rents in shops near the complex to arrive at rents which can be afforded by local traders” Ashok Kumar added.