CONNAUGHT PLACE TO GO CARFREE IN ‘SOFT LAUNCH’

iconic shopping arcade, Connaught Place is set to go car-free and become pedestrian-friendly from August even though traders opposed the move, fearing it would kill their business.

An official of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) who did not wish to be named said the council plans to carry out the pedestrian-only campaign on weekends.

“We plan to close down vehicle movement from 4pm on Friday and will continue it on Saturday and Sunday. This will be a soft launch of sorts in August, after which we can proceed towards making CP a no-vehicle zone in phases based on the response,” the official told HT.

“We will study traffic flow, parking issues and experiences of pedestrians and shop owners,” he said, adding that based on the feedback, they will decide whether to make the arrangement permanent.

The three-month trial for a carfree Connaught Place, which the NDMC had planned in February, was put off after opposition from traders at the popular shopping hub. Traders have threatened to protest again, saying Saturdays, Sundays, and even Mondays were peak days of business for them.

“We are absolutely against it. It is not practical at all to not allow vehicles inside Connaught Place. And this soft launch is the perfect way to kill business,” New Delhi Traders’ Association (NDTA) president Atul Bhargav said.

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