NEW DELHI: Traders are again at loggerheads with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) over the plan to make Connaught Place pedestrian-only on weekends. They accuse the NDMC of adopting a different plan than what was agreed upon.
They even threatened to stage a protest if their business is affected.
The vehicular movement to Connaught Place will be restricted this Sunday and Monday, as the NDMC plans to enforce its plan in the shopping hub.
Traders had raised an objection to the plan following which the NDMC had tweaked its earlier plan, which was to make the inner circle completely car-free, to focus on pedestrianising the blocks but giving access to all parking lots in the inner and outer circles to car users.
“They are now adopting a different plan than what was agreed upon in the previous meeting. As per the plan discussed with NDMC officials, it was decided that vehicles will be given entry only through Janpath to the inner circle, and from there they can access all parking lots.
“The exit will only be through Baba Khadak Singh Marg. Other entry and exit routes will be blocked for cars. But now, they are not adopting this plan,” Vinay Behel, the treasurer of New Delhi Traders Association, said, adding that the Association will stage a protest if the NDP doesn't amend the plan as decided or make decisions without taking traders into confidence.
Connaught Place market was one of the locations initially chosen for pedestrianisation in the national capital, along with Chandni Chowk. In January 2017, then urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu mooted the proposal, which was taken forward by the NDMC.
However, the plan never took off owing to strong opposition from the traders’ association.
Earlier this month, the NDMC announced that it will do a trial run of the plan for two consecutive weekends.
With agency inputs