A Vehicle- free Connaught Place From February!

Traffic at Connaught Place. Source: The Indian Express

Pedestrian life in Connaught Place will be a stroll in the park once February comes!

The Ministry of Urban Development has decided to make the Inner and the Middle Circle of one of the capital's biggest financial hubs a no-entry zone for cars, buses and two wheelers. 

The implementation of the plan shall begin with February and will be carried out through a duration of three months.

In a meeting held on Thursday to discuss how the plan will be implemented, Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu  was found quoting, “We will implement the pedestrianisation plan for Connaught Place on a pilot basis to see how this works on the ground"*, before laying emphasis on how a congestion free area will offer an accident free and crime free experience to visitors

.

Another senior government official supported the effort, saying, "Everything depends on the implementation, availability of alternative means of mobility and customer and trader response. If this is a success, it will be included in future master plans for cities across the country.” *

Following the implementation of the plan, a survey and study conducted by the government will analyse the people's response towards the set up.

The Centre, however, called  Thursday’s meeting just a preliminary discussion. “The Delhi traffic police and the NDMC have been asked to prepare detailed reports on the preparations to be made as part of the action plan which we will peruse later this month,”* a government official said.

Further, The Centre said that functional "park-and-ride" services at nearby parking complexes have been suggested by the New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Police officials.

A government official further informed, “Those who want a ride to go from the parking complexes to Connaught Place will be able to hire cycles. Battery-operated vehicles will also be made available. The NDMC is going to provide this and the cost will be borne by them. Traffic police will deploy personnel to block entry points.”*

*Source: The Indian Express