New Delhi civic agency rekindles plan for vehicle-free Connaught Place

New DelhiThe New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has once again stirred the idea of turning Connaught Place’s Inner Circle, the central commercial hub at the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi, into a vehicle-free pedestrian zone for limited hours, with the council chairman Manoj Dwivedi seeking public views on the plan on Thursday

New Delhi

Past trials to pedestrianise Connaught Place proved unsuccessful. (HT Archive)

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has once again stirred the idea of turning Connaught Place’s Inner Circle, the central commercial hub at the heart of Lutyens’ Delhi, into a vehicle-free pedestrian zone for limited hours, with the council chairman Manoj Dwivedi seeking public views on the plan on Thursday.

The plan reignited concerns regarding the parking alternatives and failures observed in the previous trial of vehicle-free days in the inner circle over the past two decades. The New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) has also reiterated its opposition, citing a threat to business revenue due to worsening Outer Circle traffic congestion during past trials.

Dwivedi floated the proposal on X, asking people to weigh in on the idea of allowing visitors to “walk around freely” in the Inner Circle, positing timings of 6pm to midnight in summer and 11am to 4pm in winter. He also asked if the zone should remain vehicle-free throughout the day. “Can we make Inner Circle of CP vehicle-free?” he posted.

He also sought suggestions on using the space during vehicle-free timings. “What kind of activities would you prefer in Central Park and Inner Circle during no vehicle slots?” he said, asking for “positive suggestions”.

To be sure, the pedestrianisation plan for Connaught Place has been on the cards for over two decades. The NDMC held the trial runs in 2019 and 2022 on weekends with the help of traffic police, but faced severe opposition from traders’ bodies—who alleged that it might impact sales—and visitors—who said it would deprive them of ample parking space available in the Inner Circle.

Atul Bhargava, the president of NDTA, in a statement, said in a statement that restricting vehicle access directly in front of showrooms hurts sales and diminishes the exclusive accessibility of shops, restaurants and services.

“Past pilot runs and trials resulted in sharp drops in footfall and chaotic parking conditions for genuine shoppers. Closing the Inner Circle diverts massive vehicular volumes onto the Outer Circle and feeder roads, severely aggravating existing traffic bottlenecks rather than eliminating congestion. CP is already designed with 15 feet of covered corridors and 20 feet of walking space, making it inherently pedestrian-friendly without needing a vehicular restriction,” he said.

NDTA said that forcing visitors to park far away at multi-level facilities creates severe inconvenience, particularly for senior citizens and the physically challenged, and any final decision should be taken after consultation with them.

Sarika Panda Bhatt, co-founder of the Raahgiri Foundation, which has worked with NDMC in previous vehicle-free trials at Connaught Place, said: “We need to make it vehicle-free. If Manhattan NYC can do why not. Also it will boost the business for sure.”

On social media, many who replied sought improved conditions in the area by cleaning subways, improving public toilets, removing encroachments, designating areas for food outlets and arts, and holding community events on waste management.

Public toilets to open till midnight

NDMC, as part of a pilot project, will extend the operating hours of 11 public toilets in Connaught Place till midnight from Friday. Dwivedi said this was in view of people visiting the area till late hours, as public washrooms currently shut by 10pm. “...from tomorrow onwards, timings for 11 public toilets are being extended up to midnight. More will follow in due course,” Dwivedi said in a post on X on Thursday.