CP inner circle to be vehicle-free zone

In order to reduce congestion in Connaught Place, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is considering barring the entry of vehicles in its inner circle.

“We are vying for the smart city project and CP is a very important area under our jurisdiction. Though various initiatives have been lined up for its revamp, traffic congestion remains a huge problem,” NDMC chairman Naresh Kumar said. He added: “We are planning to make the inner circle a pedestrian zone and not allowing the entry of vehicles.”

“It will not only reduce <g data-gr-id="25">congestion,</g> but also contribute to an increase in the footfall,” he said. The civic body is in talks with various agencies to work out the plan, which is likely to be implemented by November.

“We are in talks with the traders’ association of Connaught Place, Delhi traffic police and other agencies. The details of how the proposal will be implemented are being worked out and it is likely to be enforced by next month,” he said. The council has also proposed to give a facelift to the middle circle of the Connaught Place, to lend the whole market area a uniform revamped look.

The Connaught Place Redevelopment project was conceived in 2004 and was scheduled for completion ahead of the Commonwealth Games in <g data-gr-id="23">October,</g> 2010.

However, the revamped look sans the upgrading of the middle circle was unveiled in 2013 after the civic body had missed several deadlines.