New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) The Urban Development Ministry Thursday notified fresh amendments to the Delhi Master Plan 2021 that will make available more space for commercial activities and promote the mixed use of land.

"Earlier the Delhi Development Authority had marked 16 percent of the colonies for commercial activities and the present problem is due to space crunch for commercial activities," said Ajay Maken, minister of state for urban development and poverty alleviation.

The minister was talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) meeting on building materials and construction technologies.

"We have liberated double the amount of space for commercial activities through this notification and hope it will help the trading community," Maken told IANS.

Meanwhile, on the sixth day of the sealing operation in the capital, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) focused on commercial establishments operating in residential areas of Chandni Chowk, Shahadra, Sant Nagar, Najafgarh and other localities.

Following a Supreme Court ruling, the MCD has sealed more than 700 commercial establishments so far against a target of 45,000.

While replying to a question on stopping the sealing drive, Maken said: "We will take up the whole issue with the Supreme Court and the court will take the final decision. We expect traders and people in the city will get a breather soon."

According to the notification, there is provision for commercial activities in residential areas to meet the needs of the people. The mixed use of property suggests commercial activities in the form of retail shops, pre-primary schools, guesthouses, nursing homes, banks, fitness centres and professional activities.

The notification also suggests that further declaration of mixed use and commercial streets would be based on a detailed survey by local bodies that would be conducted taking into account requirements of civic amenities, provision of parking and traffic circulation.