The protest against Local Body Tax (LBT) by traders in the city gained momentum yesterday as several wholesale and retail stores in areas including Mulund, Ghatkopar, Dadar and Nana Chowk remained shut yesterday. Traders claim that starting Monday, even more retailers plan to pull down their shutters to participate in the agitation against the new tax, which is to be introduced in Maharashtra from October 1 in place of octroi.

A delegation of traders, including members of the Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM), protesting against the LBT, met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan at his home Varsha, in Malabar Hill. Pic/Sayed Sameer Abedi