"If you want to demolish airgate center, do it now and bring it down to the ground!" Those are the fiery prescriptions of Ramesh Gorasia the owner of Airgate Centre, formally known as Taj Mall. Gorassia has expressed his displeasure at how the ongoing demolitions in Nairobi City is being handled. He says he is tired of the five year long threats of demolition while stating that he is daring at a 5 billion shillings loss in rent since the mall was earmarked for demolition. This morning traders at the center were busy removing their wares fearing for the bulldozer jaws.

When Taj Shopping Mall launched seven years ago, everything appeared to have gone right. Rameshchandra Gorasia, the owner, could not have asked for a better location for the business. It was at the intersection of Outering Road, Airport North Road and Airport South Road, hence easily accessible.

After its launch in August 2011, the four-storey mall, which is valued at Sh5.5 billion, boasted of immense success. It hosted businesses such as Uchumi Supermarket and Bata, which brought in high traffic. This was until the National Land Commission, in a joint initiative with the Kenya Urban Roads

Authority nbsp;announced that part of the establishment would be demolished as it stood on land that was illegally acquired. Now, the mall is set for a relaunch on January 19. And the establishment’s owner and director hopes the move will turn around its dwindling fortunes. Already, the name has changed from Taj Shopping Mall to Airgate Centre and renovation works are in progress to transform the now dreary face of the building premises.