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NEW DELHI: Several service industries such as tour and travel operators, software companies, publishing firms, media houses, vocational and professional training centres, and financial and accounting agencies will now be able to operate from regularised industrial areas without having to pay conversion charges to municipal corporations and higher power tariff.

Working on the recommendation of AAP government, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has amended the Master Plan Delhi 2021 and put these 54 service industries in category of manufacturing units, allowing them to operate from designated industrial areas. AAP trade wing convener Brijesh Goyal said DDA has also increased floor area ratio in industrial areas from 150 to 200, allowing factory owners to more construction on industrial plots.

"Earlier, these services agencies used to operate as commercial establishments and paid higher power tariff and property taxes to municipal corporations compared with manufacturing units operating in the same area. These establishments also paid conversion charges to the corporations, which used to be very high," Goyal said, adding that 54 service industries can freely operate from industrial areas now, benefitting about 2 lakh units.

Officials, however, said these services industries will just have to pay one time 'infrastructure upgradation charges' to Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation.

