Vehicle-free plan for CP hits speed bump

Over two weeks after it was announced that the inner circle and middle lanes of Connaught Place will be made pedestrian-only zones, the New Delhi Municipal Council is struggling to come up with a plan to enforce the project effectively

Sometime next month, Connaught Place is expected to embark on an ambitious experiment. The inner circle and middle lanes of the commercial centre at the heart of the Capital are likely to become no-vehicle zones, in an attempt to curb congestion and make the area more pedestrian friendly.

But, so far, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) hasn’t made its plan public. Officials say they are still grappling with major concerns, including how to ensure safety, particularly for women.

While the NDMC was the first to propose the ‘pedestrian-only’ plan, Union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu had asked the civic body to work on making both Connaught Place and Khan Market vehicle-free zones in November 2016. On January 5, Mr. Naidu approved a three-month pilot project to make Connaught Place vehicle-free from February.

Over two weeks since the announcement, the NDMC is yet to finalise plans. What we know so far is that some time in February, most likely in the middle of the month, the NDMC will start with the inner circle, restricting traffic and directing visitors to park at one of the three multi-level parking lots in and around Connaught Place.

Senior NDMC officials told The Hindu that the Palika, Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Shivaji Stadium parking facilities are currently under-utilised, which will change with the closure of the surface parking in the inner circle.

With a ‘park and ride’ option, visitors will be able to park their vehicles at these facilities and then take an electric vehicle provided by the NDMC to reach Connaught Place. Officials are also considering designated spots for vehicles to drop off passengers.

NDMC chairperson Naresh Kumar said the civic body was still working on the plan and consulting stakeholders, including the Delhi Traffic Police. With a meeting with top police officials slated for Monday, Delhiites can expect more clarity this coming week.

Officials in the NDMC, however, admitted that they were yet to find solutions to three problems. Safety of visitors, especially those who frequent the 175 restaurants and cafes at night, concerns of traders who say they will lose revenue and the potential of encroachment by hawkers.

While the NDMC’s plan is in the works, the traders of Connaught Place say they won’t accept any initiative that hits their bottom line and have said they will take legal action if needed. “First there was a recession, then finally things started looking up. Then we were hit by demonetisation. We advanced the end of season sales from January-end to December-end to attract customers. Sales were finally improving and then the vehicle-free plan was announced. God save us,” said Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders’ Association.

Mr. Bhargava added that with about 105 shops in the inner circle and almost 2,000 different businesses in the entire Connaught Place area, there was a lot at stake. “This is a commercial centre, not a tourist hub. We pay the highest property tax in the country. The traders have worked over decades to make a reputation for Connaught Place,” he said.

Mr. Bhargava added that the claims of the NDMC that its Palika parking was not being used fully was incorrect. “There is no space left by 11 a.m.”