The New Delhi Municipal Council’s (NDMC) experiment with a car-free Connaught Place was supposed to start in February, but no decision has been taken regrading the traffic plan as of March 1.
However, the decision on when and how to implement the pilot project may be taken at an NDMC meeting on Thursday.
On January 5, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu had announced that the NDMC would undertake a three-month experiment in which Connaught Place would be made a no-vehicle zone starting February.
The inner circle and middle lanes were supposed to become pedestrian-only areas in a bid to reduce congestion around the popular commercial centre. Later, NDMC chairperson Naresh Kumar had said that the plan would come into effect in the latter half of February.
However, facing opposition from the traders of Connaught Place and unable to come up with a traffic management plan, the NDMC has missed the deadline.
NDMC officials said that several meetings were held with stakeholders, including the Delhi Traffic Police, in order to come up with a plan.
Traffic management plan
A senior official said that a traffic plan was proposed in a meeting, but the NDMC was waiting for the same to be submitted formally by the Traffic Police.
The Traffic Police, however, said that the plan was the NDMC’s and that they would only implement it.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Garima Bhatnagar declined to comment on the plan.
The NDMC was exploring different options, including a ‘park and ride’ facility, where visitors would be able to park their vehicles at one of the multi-level parking facilities in and around Connaught Place and then take electric vehicles to the inner circle.
Another option being considered was designating ‘pick-up and drop’ points, where vehicles would be allowed.
That being said, the officials grappled with the issue of security, especially for women visitors who would have to walk or take e-rickshaws till the pick-up points or parking lots.
Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders’ Association, which carried out protests and online campaigns against pedestrianisation of Connaught Place, said that there was a “status quo” on the matter.
He said the traders would continue to oppose the move as it would lead to a serious loss of business.
According to the traders, shutting Connaught Place to traffic would lead to shoppers opting for more convenient markets and malls.
The NDMC, however, has maintained that the pedestrianisation would only be an experiment, which would be called off if required.
Making Connaught Place as well as Khan Market vehicle-free was a part of the NDMC’s Smart City plan, and had been approved by the Urban Development Ministry.
