In a bid to encourage cultural and social activities in the heart of the city, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Wednesday proposed to make way for pedestrians in Connaught Place’s Inner Circle and bar vehicular movement. The officials said that the ban on vehicle entry will help in de-congesting the stretch as it cannot accommodate the ever-increasing traffic load and will help in setting up social/cultural units in a planned manner.
NDMC officials informed that the council is mulling ways to develop the Inner Circle as a “happiness area” where artists would be given a platform to hold shows, exhibitions and concerts.
“As many city dwellers come to visit the area, we seek to encourage artists willing to exhibit their talent through their respective means of art: plays, street shows, musical concerts and other cultural performances; believing that this could be a launch pad for them. Citizens, living in various parts of the Capital reaching here for shopping and other purposes will enjoy as they will get additional facilities in this locality,” said the official.
With restriction on vehicular entry into the Inner Circle area, the footfall is likely to increase. “Due to its connectivity with Delhi Metro and parking slots available in the Outer Circle, the civic agency hopes the idea would receive a positive response.
The Council is looking into modalities to constrain parking within the Outer Circle, so that the Inner Circle remains congestion-free. Though the plan is on an initial stage it will be materialised very soon. The Council, which is committed to make the area beautiful, will ensure beatification of the Circle,” said NDMC Chairman Naresh Kumar while announcing the move during his budget speech.
As the civic agency is looking into the modalities to plan the development, the council is yet to finalise the plan.
“The council wishes to create exclusive areas with multimedia lights and related infrastructure for its citizen’s cultural, artistic and social activities,” said Kumar.
“With this plan, we seek to promote room for pedestrians. We are vying for the smart city project and Connaught Place is a very important area under our jurisdiction. Though various initiatives have been lined up for its revamp and facelift, traffic congestion remains a huge problem. It will not only reduce congestion but also contribute to an increase in the footfall.
“The details of how the proposal will be implemented are being worked out and it is likely to be enforced soon,” he said.
The civic body seeks to revamp the entire Connaught Place in the process of building a “happiness areas” by providing amenities to the visitors; this includes revamping subways, and construction of cycle-tracks in its jurisdiction.