The New Delhi Traders’ Association (NDTA) has threatened to go on protest till the NDMC’s car bandi plan in the Connaught Place is not withdrawn. Slamming NDMC’s “irrational decision”, the association said, “It is our bread and butter issues. We will oppose car bandi tooth and nail.”
NDTA president Atul Bhargava asserted that CP is a business hub, not a tourist place and cited Master Plan 2021, which declares CP as Central Business District Center (CBDC). Apart from approximately 5,000 offices, the inner circle of CP hosts 162 shops and 10 banks whereas the middle circle has 173 shops and 11 banks.
Raising security concerns for people visiting CP if car bandi comes into force from Frebruary 1, the NDTA said there are around 20 jewellery shops in CP and hundreds of customers visit these shops daily. “People will feel insecure to walk or take an e-rickshaw with their valuables. NDMC bosses have tried to impose car ban in the past too but have not succeeded, they will not succeed this time round too,” said Bhargava.
“NDMC officials should do some survey before executing the plan. They are arguing that NDMC is replicating the pedestrian and open eateries plans of Paris and New York. It is important point out here that the world’s popular market lacks CCTV installation despite the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)’s stern directive during Common Wealth Games,” said Anuj Kaicker, owner of Manohar shop in Inner Circle.
“Our customers are the people with private cars while metro passengers constitute only 5 per cent of them,” said NDTA general secretary Vikram Badhwar.
“One thing, we want to make it clear to the NDMC, is that the idea of car bandi is vague and it will adversely affect both customers and retailers,” he added.
“This is being done in the name of making the Capital Smart City. We want to ask them, why are they targeting the CP area only while the situation in Karol Bagh and other areas is too badIJ Are they willing to build slum colonies here by removing front parking space under political pressureIJ” asked Badhwar.
Smantha Pinnu, a regular visitor to CP, told The Pioneer that before such implementations, the agencies should provide robust transport system. “Do they have sufficient buses as the move will create problem for visitors who come for dinningIJ” said Pinnu.
“And for a mother like me, it will become more difficult to walk or share public transport with children and go shopping,” she added.
While dubbing the car bandi move illogical, another customer outside the Tanishq store, Jose Joi said, “Will it be feasible for the people to walk or use public transport in summer when temperature crosses 45 degrees CelsiusIJ And how will e-rickshaws work in rainy seasonIJ” asked Joi.
Interestingly, traders in A-Block said when CP has 15 feet of covered corridor and 20 feet of walking space which is the biggest in any high street market or commercial hub in the country then why the NDMC is planning to convert the area only for pedestrians. “When there is ample space for parking in the area, what will authority do in this parking spaceIJ The move will fuel encroachment in the area,” said an employee in Vanson showroom.
“The NDMC plans to have eateries in open with no control over hawkers, beggars and drug addicts. People would end up facing a lot of harassment,” added the employee.
Shop owners in CP area have said that vehicles queuing for entry into limited parking lots, will spill onto the radial roads and block passages. “With traffic mess in Outer Circle, in case of emergency it will be difficult for ambulance/fire tenders to reach the inner circle establishments,” said they.
NDTA members have argued that the other stakeholders like Delhi Traffic Police have no sufficient man power. “CP is an important traffic junction of the city catering to vehicles moving from one side to another. If inner and middle circles of CP are closed for crossing traffic, the vehicular movement across the city will be affected leading to total chaos on all the radial roads,” said the member.