The proposal was to make the middle and inner circles of CP no-vehicle zones for three months, on an experimental basis
The New Delhi Municipal Council's (NDMC) ambitious plan to convert Connaught Place (CP) into a vehicle-free zone has not moved from paper to the ground. It has been six months since the Union Urban Development Ministry had asked for the plan in January this year.
The plan was to be implemented by February. It, however, hit many roadblocks, including the traders' body protesting against the move, and the Council's inability to procure electric vehicles for the last-mile connectivity.
Under the proposal aiming to decongest the British-era CP, the middle and inner circles of CP were to be made no-vehicle zones for three months, on an experimental basis. The NDMC had moved the proposal to make both CP and the popular Khan Market vehicle-free zones last year.
The traffic police, however, did not consider the plan feasible. "We are in consultation with the traffic police to implement the plan. As we could not procure electric buses because of some approvals pending, we are considering getting e-rickshaws for last-mile connectivity. Developing so much of the parking space is still a challenge," a senior NDMC official said.
The total parking capacity at the Shivaji Stadium, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, and Pallika Bazaar is 3,172 at present.
Meanwhile, the traders' association has been up in arms against the move and has even threatened to go on a strike, claiming that their businesses will suffer. The officials said they were in the process of developing a consensus with the traders and that they believed that the footfall will not suffer because of the plan.
IN THE PIPELINE
- The proposal was to make the middle and inner circles of CP no-vehicle zones for three months, on an experimental basis.
- The traffic police however did not consider the plan feasible.
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