Sandstone, granite and sandstone again for CP

There seem to be no end to this debate — whether to use sandstone or granite for flooring the corridors in all blocks of Connaught Place under the restoration project, reports Neelam Pandey.

There seem to be no end to this debate — whether to use sandstone or granite for flooring the corridors in all blocks of Connaught Place under the restoration project.

While New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has been in the favour of granite, which according to them is sturdier, the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC), an apex body to maintain the city’s aesthetics, is bent on using the original material, sandstone.

“We can’t tamper with the original material as far as restoration goes. Sandstone is the original material and NDMC will have to use it for all the blocks,” said a senior DUAC official.

The civic body has claimed that it will comply with the directions of the commission. DUAC has rejected the request by New Delhi Trader’s Association (NDTA) one of the biggest stakeholders in the project who wanted NDMC to use granite.

“It is quite unfortunate that DUAC has rejected our request for using granite for flooring of the blocks. Even NDMC had recommended the use of granite in their letter written to DUAC on October 6. We will now approach the Delhi chief minister to intervene in this matter,” said Atul Bhargava, NDTA president.

DUAC has directed the civic body to sandblast the flooring of C-block of CP that has been done using granite to reduce its shiny texture.