The Hindu : Dilli Haat still reeling under parking crisis

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2003

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Dilli Haat still reeling under parking crisis

By Sandeep Joshi

NEW DELHI JULY 15. Even after a decade of its coming into existence, the Capital's most happening place -- Dilli Haat -- is still reeling under a severe parking crisis. Both Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC), which runs the show here, and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), under which the area falls, have failed to provide any solution to the problem.

The parking crisis in and around Dilli Haat is not only causing a lot of problems to visitors but also resulting in a major bottleneck in the area, often leading to traffic jams. Year after year as the number of visitors to Dilli Haat continues to grow, the traffic scenario is getting worse.

Over 4,000 people visit Dilli Haat every day and this number goes to 8,000 during weekends. During special festivals and functions, over 10,000 people throng the place.

However, the limited parking spaces provided by NDMC and DTTDC authorities around Dilli Haat hardly accommodates around 200 vehicles, including two-wheelers.

So generally people park their vehicles on road-sides and nearby lanes which often leads of traffic jams, particularly during rush-hours.

``Hour-long jams and commotion are a regular feature during festivals and special events,'' said an official, and now senior officials are suggesting that if visitors plan to visit Dilli Haat during weekends, they should not come in their vehicles so that they could avoid parking and traffic problems.

In December 2001, the NDMC laid the foundation stone for an ambitious project of building a flower market-cum-super market- cum-multi level parking on Aurobindo Marg just opposite Dilli Haat, the first phase of which was to be completed by December 2000. Ironically, work is yet begin on the project.

The Rs.4-crore project is to come up on the area reclaimed after covering around 200 metres of Kushak "nullah''. In the third phase of the plan, the NDMC has planned a multi-level car parking above the "nullah'' which will cater to the parking demands of those visiting Dilli Haat as well as the flower market. But it is nowhere yet in sight.

For their part, DTTDC officials are trying to get an open space just behind Dilli Haat which could be used for parking purpose.

But here too it had failed miserably. "We have been trying this for a couple of years now but nothing has come our way so far,'' said sources in the Corporation. And till something is planned urgently, Dilli Haat for those coming on their vehicles will continue to remain an ordeal.

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