The ghost of infamous carbandi scheme which was shelved in the face of protests from the New Delhi Traders’ Association (NDTA) has come back to haunt them again. Following directions of the Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Ministry to implement the plan to ban the entry of private vehicles into the “Inner Circle” of Connaught Place (CP) on weekends, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Chairman Naresh Kumar has asked the officials concerned to work out the plan as soon as possible.
It may be noted that the controversial “private vehicles ban scheme” of NDMC had met a stiff resistance from the shopkeepers whose business will suffer. The plan was put into motion during the tenure of Venkaiah Naidu in the Ministry but could not be implemented as many grey areas remained unanswered. NDMC officials said they are studying various aspects and will come out with the actionable plan.
Sources in the council said meetings were being held to implement the plan.
However, the Delhi Police appears to have thrown a spanner in the plan as it has raised the Red Flag. According to a senior police official, they have raised issues of parking and traffic snarls caused by parking of vehicles on the Outer Circle of CP and Shiavji Stadium as proposed by the NDMC.
“The council has suggested 50 small bus stations to facilitate CP visitors, if the plan works out but there is hardly any space available for such bus stands.
Meanwhile, traders of Connaught Place are at their wits’ end. They are certain that the “illogical” decision of NDMC to ban entry of four-wheelers into the inner and middle circles of Connaught Place, will hit their businesses hard. “CP attracts a sizeable footfall during weekends and in the event of private vehicles being banned from entering into inner circle, our business will be affected”, said a trader.
What worries them the most is the NDMC’s move in “the name of reviving” the area will only promote mall culture and kill their businesses. Traders are unanimous in calling civic agency’s plan to make the area vehicle free zone as an ill-conceived decision that is fraught with miseries for them.
“Connaught Place is a commercial hub which cannot be turned into a tourist destination. We have already lost our business, firstly due to construction of Metro station at Rajiv Chowk and thereafter re-development of this area prior to Common Wealth Games (CWG). This unprecedented move sounds death knell for all of us,” a representative of NDTA said on Tuesday.
It may be recalled that NDMC had proposed to provide parking for the private vehicles at any of the three multilevel parking lots and take e-rickshaws to reach inner circle. “The issue remains whether the shoppers who visit the area in luxury vehicles, will agree to ride e-rickshaws to reach inner circleIJ said a concerned trader.
If patrons driving in private vehicles are denied entry into inner circles on weekends, they will prefer to visit malls instead. What about those families and people who come out for drive late in the evening to eat ice-creamsIJ They will avoid the idea of visiting Connaught Place altogether once these restrictions are put into place,” rued traders.