Connaught Place’s Inner Circle could become vehicle-free for fixed hours as the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) explores a plan to turn one of the Capital’s busiest commercial and recreational hubs into a more pedestrian-friendly space. NDMC Chairman Manoj Dwivedi on Thursday sought public feedback on the proposal, asking whether vehicles should be barred from the Inner Circle during specified hours or whether the stretch should be made completely vehicle-free. “Can we make Inner Circle of CP vehicle-free?” Dwivedi asked in a post on X, inviting residents and visitors to share their views on the proposal.
Different seasonal timings
Dwivedi suggested two possible pedestrian-only windows based on the season — from 6 pm to midnight during summer and between 11 am and 4 pm during winter. He also asked whether people would prefer the Inner Circle to remain free of vehicles throughout the day. The NDMC chairman sought suggestions on how the space could be utilised during the vehicle-free periods, including the kind of activities that could be organised at the Inner Circle and Central Park.
Connaught Place has previously experimented with pedestrian-oriented initiatives through “Raahgiri”, during which the Inner Circle is opened to people on select Sundays for walking, cycling, fitness sessions, street performances and other recreational activities. A regular vehicle-free window could expand such pedestrian-focused use while retaining vehicular access to the area during the remaining hours.
Plan needs consultations
Dwivedi later clarified that the proposal was still at a preliminary stage and that the feedback received from the public would be studied before any decision on implementation. He said a SWOT analysis — examining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the proposal — would be undertaken before the plan is taken forward.
“I will study all these in due course at first opportunity (maybe after the BRICS summit is over). Will do a SWOT analysis also. This will need a good amount of planning before we move towards implementation in the best manner possible,” he wrote on X. Any move to restrict vehicles in the Inner Circle would also require consultations with Delhi Traffic Police and other stakeholders because Connaught Place remains a major commercial centre as well as an important traffic zone in central Delhi.
The proposal is expected to be examined in greater detail after the BRICS Summit, with traffic management, accessibility, parking, business requirements and pedestrian movement likely to figure prominently in the consultations.