L-G Anil Baijal reviews Kamla Nagar market pedestrianisation project

Nitin Gupta, president of Kamla Nagar Traders Association, said the traders had little hope of success for the project. 
L-G Anil Baijal reviews plan for pedestrianisation of Kamla Nagar market. (Photo | Express)
L-G Anil Baijal reviews plan for pedestrianisation of Kamla Nagar market. (Photo | Express)

NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday reviewed the plan for pedestrianisation of Kamla Nagar market in north Delhi—a popular hangout, especially for Delhi University students.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation planned the pedestrianisation and beautification of the market in 2019 as a pilot project to implement the Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Places Rules, which is being monitored by the Supreme Court.

During the review meeting attended by the commissioner of the municipal corporation, special commissioner (Delhi Traffic Police), and other senior officials of the civic body, Baijal suggested them to explore possibilities of creation of infrastructure and public utilities on public-private partnership (PPP) mode in the market. 

“Advised the officers to explore the possibility of creation of infrastructure on PPP mode. For the comfort and convenience of the public emphasised on the provision of easily accessible zero waste toilets, adequate street furniture, proper lighting and greening of the area,” Baijal tweeted in the evening. 

North Delhi mayor Jai Prakash said that another meeting of municipal officials and other departments would be held next week to finalise details for beautification and pedestrianisation of Kolhapur Road in the market.

In December 2019, the North MCD stopped vehicular movement on Kolhapur Road. However, traffic was permitted on three roads connecting to Spark Mall at Bada Gol Chakkar--Agrasen Marg, Mandelia Road and Gali Number 7 but surface parking was banned on all these stretches. 

The civic agency placed bollards and marked pedestrian areas and no-parking zones.

Nitin Gupta, president of Kamla Nagar Traders Association, said the traders had little hope of success for the project. 

“When it was launched almost a year ago, tall promises were made. Surface parking was banned on Mandelia Road. However, nothing moved thereafter. 

The stretch has become a den of illegal vendors. Instead of putting restrictions on vehicles, roads should be widened to accommodate an increasing number of vehicles,” said Gupta. 

According to the plan, four-metre-wide pathways for pedestrians, benches, street lamps, food stalls and water kiosks are proposed to be developed along with the carriageway.  

Kamla Nagar market, established in the 1950s and spread over 3-4 square kilometres area, has about 1,500 shops.

The market is frequented by nearly 15,000 shoppers every day while the footfall increases to 25-30,000 on weekends.

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