Renovated Bhairon Marg-Mathura Road complex to soon have walkability plan

Authorities are planning to have a “walkability plan” for the “renovated Bhairon Marg-Mathura Road complex” that houses important destinations such as Purana Qila, Pragati Maidan, Delhi Zoo, ITPO and Sher Shah Suri Gate.

Ahead of the G20 summit in Delhi, the walkability initiative seeks to provide or improve pedestrian infrastructure so that more people walk across the city for leisure or health benefits.

Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena in a recent meeting reviewed the “walkability plan for Purana Qila-Pragati Maidan stretch” presented by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and “asked for the same to be finalised at the earliest incorporating all pending concerns”, a senior official at the Raj Niwas told news agency PTI.

“The renovated Bhairon Marg-Mathura Road complex that houses important destinations like Purana Qila, Pragati Maidan, Delhi Zoo, ITPO, Sher Shah Suri Gate among others will soon have a walkability plan,” he said.

The plan takes into account major roads that include Mathura Road, Sikandara Road, Bhagwan Das Road, Tilak Road, Purana Qila Road, Bhairon Marg, Sher Shah Road and Subramania Bharati Marg, officials said.

It also factors in Pragati Maidan metro station, and Tilak Bridge and Pragati Maidan railway stations, they said.

Saxena has also instructed the DDA, Delhi Traffic Police and ITPO (India Trade Promotion Organisation) to “address issues” arising out of traffic movement on account of incoming traffic from ITO and the Bhagwan Das Road region that houses the Supreme Court, security concerns of visiting dignitaries at Pragati Maidan as well as seamless movement of pedestrians, and present the final proposal for UTTIPEC’s approval at the earliest, he said.

The Lt Governor on March 20 had chaired the 67th Meeting of the Governing Body of Unified Traffic & Transportation Infrastructure Planning and Engineering Centre (UTTIPEC), and approved a number of proposals.

The walkability plan of the area surrounding Mandi House and Mandi House metro station, comprising radials such as Barakhamba Road, Tansen Marg, Safdar Hashmi Marg, Sikandra Road, Bhagwan Das Road, Copernicus Marg and Ferozshah Road was also approved, the DDA had said in a statement after the meeting.

It will ease pedestrian and traffic circulation around institutions such as the National School of Drama, Modern School, Lady Irwin College, Mandi House, Lalit Kala Academy and Embassy of Nepal, apart from serving areas such as the Bengali Market, Hamdard Nagar and Todarmal Road.

It will also be integrated with the Mandi House metro interchange, Tilak Bridge railway station and HRTC bus stand, the urban body had said on March 20.

India is chairing the G20 since December. As part of its yearlong presidency, the G20 Summit will take place in September, and the entire city is getting spruced up before the crucial event.

(With PTI inputs)