‘CP not a hill station’: NDMC hints at vehicle-free Connaught Place Inner Circle, reactions pour in

The proposal to make Connaught Place's Inner Circle vehicle-free drew mixed reactions, with some opposing it and others backing the move.

Plans to make Connaught Place's Inner Circle a vehicle-free zone triggered reactions online after New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) chairman Manoj Dwivedi sought suggestions to this end on Thursday.

In his call for suggestions to enhance crowd control at CP, NDMC Chairman Manoj Dwivedi had proposed making the Inner Circle vehicle free. (HT File photo)

The proposal drew mixed reactions, with some traders opposing it and some backing the move saying the zone should've been vehicle free a long time ago.

In his call for suggestions to enhance crowd control at CP, Manoj Dwivedi had proposed making the Inner Circle vehicle free, giving examples of mall roads or prominent touristy areas in foreign cities.

At this, a social media user wrote: “CP is not a small pedestrian plaza or a hill station. Elderly citizens also visit the shops, restaurants and offices situated there. Accessibility has to remain a priority.” The user also called the proposal of a blanket ban on vehicles in the Inner Circle “theatrics” and dismissed the idea.

“Should we do it for full day or do it from 6 pm to midnight in summers and 11 am to 4 pm in winters? Some different timing for weekends?,” a part of his post on X read.

Traders reject proposal

The New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) has rejected the idea to make CP's Inner Circle vehicle free, citing a threat to business revenue. As stated in an earlier HT report, the traders' body cited worsening Outer Circle traffic congestion during past trials to make the Inner Circle vehicle-free.

"There is absolutely no question of making CP inner circle vehicle-free, as the market is already well designed for enough pedestrian movement," the New Delhi Market Association said, as per a report by news agency PTI. It urged the authorities to focus on removing illegal hawkers and vehicles parked in violation of rules instead.

Notably, traders’ bodies have long opposed the idea to reduce vehicles from parts of CP.

Plans to increase pedestrian footfall at Connaught Place are not new. Trials to this end were conducted were conducted in 2019 and 2022 on weekends but faced severe opposition from traders' bodies, who feared loss of business due to visitors' inability to find an enough parking space in the Inner Circle.

Positive reactions to proposal

While traders' bodies and a section of social media opposed the idea, some also stood in favour of what the NDMC chairman suggested for Connaught Place.

Responding to his appeal, a social media user called it a “strong idea”, adding that he would prefer a phased pedestrianisation of CP instead of a full-day closure to vehicles. “Extended weekend windows and shorter weekday evening slots. During each phase, monitoring pedestrian footfall, retail turnover, traffic displacement on the Outer Circle and feeder roads, air and noise levels, emergency access, parking demand & metro ridership will go a long way,” an X user wrote.

“Very heartening to see a senior officer like you giving urban planning due importance, that too publicly!,” he added.

Another user welcomed the proposal, saying CP's Inner Circle should have become vehicle free a long time back.

In a separate announcement, the NDMC chief said that timings for 11 public toilets at Connaught Place are being extended up to midnight as people like to stay at the site till late.