The civic body’s deal with Reliance to redevelop the Park Circus market has hit a roadblock. A section of councillors, cutting across party lines, has claimed that the market stands on Waqf land and, hence, cannot be handed over to the Mukesh Ambani-led group.

Waqf land is entrusted with the Waqf board, which monitors Muslim welfare and religious activities.

The civic mayoral council had cleared the deal last week.

“The land on which the market stands was declared a Waqf property in 1906,” stated leader of the civic Opposition Javed Ahmed Khan. “The market used to be called Karaya Bazaar then. The civic body took over the plot in 1930 and built the market.”

Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya rubbished the claim. “It is not Waqf land. We will challenge the claim and the truth will emerge,” he said on Tuesday.

Minister for minority affairs Abdus Sattar has directed joint municipal commissioner Sahidul Islam to verify the records of the Waqf board.

Islam, who is also a member of the Waqf board, said: “I had been given two daag numbers by the councillors who are claiming that the market stands on Waqf land. I found out that those plots, indeed, belong to the Waqf. But the Park Circus market does not stand on those plots. I shall go through the records again, since the minister has asked me to do so.”

Traders of the market took out a rally against “handing over of Waqf property to Reliance” from Park Circus Maidan on Tuesday afternoon. The traders demanded protection of their business interests.

“In view of the protests, we will meet the traders at the civic headquarters,” said CPM mayoral council member Abu Sufiyan.

“I am not sure about the status of the plot. If it is Waqf land, handing it over to Reliance will be difficult,” said former mayoral council member Faiyaz Ahmed Khan.

Reliance had offered Rs 30.33 crore to the CMC and emerged highest bidder for the redevelopment project.