NDMC plans vehicle-free Inner Circle at Connaught Place, seeks public suggestions

Connaught Place, the heart of the national capital, could get a vehicle-free Inner Circle for fixed hours, with NDMC Chairman Manoj Dwivedi seeking public views on turning the busy commercial hub into a pedestrian-friendly space.

“Can we make Inner Circle of CP vehicle-free?” Dwivedi said in an X post on Thursday, asking people to weigh in on the idea of allowing visitors to walk around freely in the Inner Circle.

He suggested two possible timings — 6 pm to midnight in summer and 11 am to 4 pm in winter — while asking whether the area should instead remain vehicle-free throughout the day.

Dwivedi also sought suggestions on how the space could be used when vehicles are kept off the road.

“What kind of activities would you prefer in Central Park and Inner Circle during no vehicle slots?” he said, asking for positive suggestions.

The area has experimented with pedestrian-only periods through “Raahgiri”, under which the Inner Circle is opened to people on select Sundays for activities such as walking, cycling, fitness sessions and street performances.

The proposed arrangement could give such pedestrian-focused use a more regular place in Connaught Place, while allowing vehicular movement during the remaining hours.

In a subsequent post later in the day, Dwivedi said the suggestions received would be examined before the proposal is taken forward, including through a SWOT analysis. He said the exercise would require a “good amount of planning” and consultations with traffic police and other stakeholders before any implementation.

“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 in a post on X.