On Thursday, the AP State Wakf Board cracked the whip on traders who were occupying in more than 1,000 shops at the Madina Circle of the old city, warning them that criminal cases would be put on record against them if they failed to pay rents directly to the Board.
A team of Wakf Board officials, headed by special officer S. Md. lqbal, pay a visit to Macca Madina Aladdin Wakf at Madina Circle and Moulvi Nabi Khana at Pattherghatti of the old city.
The Aladdin Wakf properties was under the control the Wakf Board took for few months ago. The Board had become aware of fact that the lease-holders of the shops were not paying rent to the Board and some private parties were collecting the same.
The Wakf Board officials also noticed that most of the shops were on sub-lease and many had either been refurbish or re-built without the Board’s permission.
The special officer warned the leaseholders that the Board would initiate criminal action against the rent defaulters and those who sub-leased their shops.
According to Mr lqba,l there were 600 shops in Aladdin Wakf and 290 shops in Moulvi Nabi Khana Wakf and the Board was supposed to get Rs.4 crore from these properties on the contrary it was getting only Rs.18 lakh per annum.