Gandhi Maidan parking to become a five-level facility
NEW DELHI: To decongest historic Chandni Chowk market and end parking woes in the area, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation will convert the existing Gandhi Maidan surface parking into a five- storey facility.
The proposal has been given an administrative go-ahead recently and the civic body is likely to call out tenders soon.
Currently, the Gandhi Maidan parking, situated adjacent to Chandni Chowk Metro station, can accommodate 650 cars. As per the proposal, the new structure will have six levels, including three underground floors. A level will be reserved for commercial activities. This will create additional parking space for more than 2,500 cars.
The cost of the project has been estimated at ₹160 crore, which the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has agreed to pay.
“Following the Delhi High Court order, the proposal to redevelop the parking space was cleared recently,” said Pravesh Wahi, chairman, standing committee, north corporation.
“Hearing a public interest plea on Shahjahanabad redevelopment project, the court asked us to expedite the project. The DDA is going to provide money for the project as the authority is to pay outstanding dues with respect to property tax,” Wahi said.
Gandhi Maidan was marked as a green area in the Master Plan of Delhi 2021. Following the court intervention, the land use was also changed by the DDA lately.
Considering the significant rise in the number of the vehicles coming to Chandni Chowk, it was proposed to convert the parking into a multi-level one, four years ago. In the absence of adequate parking space in the area, visitors and shopkeepers leave their vehicles on the road, leading to traffic jams.
Traders have been demanding adequate parking space for long. With the north corporation clearing the project, they are hopeful this will help reduce the chaos in the market. “We have been fighting for this for years. It came as welcome relief. I believe the the North Delhi Municipal Corporation will complete the project in time,” said Sanjay Bhargava, general secretary, Chandi Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal.
Numerous court orders, drives against encroachment and illegal construction and years of planning have failed to turn Chandni Chowk’s fortunes around. On the contrary, the mess at the historic market has increased manifold over the years.
Shopkeepers have added multi-storeyed structures to decades-old colonnade. Pavements are either squatted upon by the hawkers or taken over by religious structures.
Illegal parking on both sides of the carriageway obstruct traffic movement.