The shopkeepers alleged that MLC Zeeshan Siddique, whose late father was among the developers of the mall, had stalled the process

Published on: Aug 25, 2026, 08:03:00 IST

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MUMBAI: Around 50 shop owners in Link Square Mall, Bandra West, gathered outside the mall on Monday, demanding the immediate commencement of repair work. Fifteen months after the mall was gutted in a fire on April 29 last year, there is no sign of repairs, leaving the shop owners with mounting debts and uncertainty over the future of their businesses.

The shopkeepers alleged that MLC Zeeshan Siddique, whose late father was among the developers of the mall, had stalled the process. They also questioned the role of the administrator appointed after the managing committee of the mall was dissolved, saying that despite the change, there had been no progress on repairs.

For many shopkeepers, the prolonged closure has meant continuing financial liabilities. Heena Hattikati, 38, who owned a salon at the mall, said she had taken a loan to purchase her 100-sq-ft shop for ₹65 lakh around seven years ago. “The fire has left me with nearly ₹14 lakh in accumulated debt,” she said. “There are bills and EMIs to be paid even though the shop no longer exists.”

Hattikati said she had sold whatever gold she had, exhausted her savings, and was now left with resources that would last only for another couple of months. “After that, I don’t know how I will repay the loan,” she said. “Getting a shop was something we had looked forward to for our livelihood and future. We thought it would support it when we were no longer able to work. Now not only my present but my future has also been affected.”

Sanober Khan, another shopkeeper, said she was paying around ₹43,000 every month while her liabilities continued to grow. “I also have regular medical expenses. I have three daughters to look after. I always thought this was something I could rely on for my future,” she said.

Krishna Tamang, owner of the restaurant China Gate, who owned the third and fourth floors of the mall, alleged that an insurance claim of around ₹15 crore had not yet been cleared. He claimed that pressure from Siddique was delaying the process, and alleged that the administrator appointed by the court was in the process of reappointing people whom shopkeepers had previously complained against, which had led to the dissolution of the earlier committee.

Tamang further alleged that Siddique wanted the property to be redeveloped because the floor space index (FSI) had increased from 2.5, when the mall was originally built, to 5.5. “The conspiracy is to ensure that this facility is replaced with something larger and more profitable,” he said.

Siddique denied all the allegations. “This is a small group of shopkeepers who are creating this mischief,” he said. “If my father developed it some two decades ago, how can I be held responsible? My family also has shops there. Why would I want to stop it from opening?” Siddique also alleged that some shopkeepers were using his name to “gain traction”.

Sources in the registrar’s office said that following the appointment of the administrator, the process of holding elections for a new managing committee was underway. They said the formation of a new committee was expected to by and large resolve the issue and move the process forward. The sources also said that the insurance claim, which is expected to provide funds for the repair work, was being processed.

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