NDMC approves decongestion plan for Sadar Bazar, Kamla Nagar market

NEW DELHI: North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) approved a “management plan” for busy markets like Sadar Bazar and Kamla Nagar in a house meeting on May 30, 2019, which entails them to reduce traffic congestion in these shopping hubs and increase parking charges on the road to support the move.

The civic body has already implemented such a scheme in Karol Bagh. The corporation has planned to expand the scheme in Kamla Nagar, Kirti Nagar, Sadar Bazar and other areas to make the markets pedestrian-friendly and to promote the use of public transport.

The civic body pedestrianised Ajmal Khan Road and regularised parking and traffic, in Karol Bagh. It also increased street parking rates to discourage private vehicles. However, civic officials said that this does not mean that parking charges will be increased in other markets. This can be done only after making ‘Area Parking Plan’ and detailed talks with the merchants’ associations.

“Decongestion is our main focus, we have to implement these schemes with the support of merchants. We are discussing it with merchants’ associations and finding out where it can be implemented,” said Varsha Joshi, Commissioner NDMC.

Things have reached an “advanced stage”, in Kamla Nagar while in the Sadar Bazar, discussions with traders will start in the next few weeks.

The proposal of the civic body states that parking should be discouraged by limiting the parking lot (in the markets) by half the length of road and by increasing the parking fee on the road.

Joshi said, “We have identified some places in the Sadar Bazar for off-street parking. Once the area’s parking plans are implemented and if we get enough off-street parking, then only we can think of increasing parking rates on the road or completely restricting it.”