Soon, old Delhi railway station will be better accessible by Public Transport modes

Source: Indian Express, Delhi Edition

HC ropes in agencies to decongest Chandni Chowk

Who is congesting Chandni Chowk? Vehicles or human beings? Twelve cycle-rickshaws ferrying people around, or 23 huge parked cars serving only one shopkeeper a day??
[Photo courtesy Nipesh Narayan, Assistant Professor, Sushant School of Architecture]

NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court on Friday expressed concern over congestion in the thickly populated Chandni Chowk area and roped in two agencies to chart a plan to solve the problem.

A Special Bench dealing with traffic problems turned its attention to Chandni Chowk and asked UTTIPEC and the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation to suggest ways in which the area can be decongested after carrying out a study.

Meanwhile, almost a month after being rapped for keeping the multi-level parking facility in Chandni Chowk closed, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) on Friday told the HC it will become functional next month.

Assuring a special bench of Justice S Ravindra Bhat and Justice S Muralidhar that the parking will decongest the crowded area, the corporation said it plans to re-start the facility soon. It was answering HC's query on why the ready-to-use multilevel parking facility in the area is closed, though it had been inaugurated twice.

The court also refused to grant more than two weeks time to the corporation to start the process of registering over 7 lakh cycle rickshaws plying in the city. Rejecting the NDMC's plea to grant more time, the bench made it clear the process must start in next two weeks ort else the commissioner will be held accountable.

HC had earlier cleared the decks for smooth registration of cycle rickshaws and quashed a rule of the erstwhile MCD that insisted on an address/identification proof from the owners, after activists complained it had resulted in harassment of the poor.

Lifting its stay on the policy and operation of the civic agency for registration of cyclerickshaws HC had said it shouldn't insist on ID proof in the application form for issuing licences. The petitioners in the case, Manushi, argued that information sought in the form is irrelevant and objectionable.

Unhappy with the criteria established by the corporation for registration of the vehicle and issuance of licence, Manushi had also cited an example, "The application form for registration seeks whether the applicant is suffering from tuberculosis (TB) and for how many years he has been staying in the city."

The special bench constituted to monitor the capital's pilot project for non-motorised vehicles (NMV), including cycle rickshaws on city roads, had earlier stayed the policy and asked the corporation not to implement the policy till it incorporates certain changes. It had also asked the corporation to reconsider its decision of charging the annual fee of Rs 25 for renewal of the licence for cycle rickshaws.

Source: TOI, Delhi Edition, 15.12.2012

OPEN DRAINS TO MAKE WAY FOR ECO CORRIDORS

Non-Motorized Transportation Project To Develop Areas Along Drains As Recreational Public Spaces & Special Corridors For Cycling And Walking

New Delhi: Think of the drain behind your house, the eyesore of the colony which is usually lined with garbage, stray cattle and dogs, and stinks so much that one would not venture near it. Now imagine a tree- lined canal, an open public space that has people walking and cycling along the gently gushing water. The idea may sound ambitious but the Delhi government has plans to convert several of the city’s larger drains into eco-corridors: areas that will be used extensively as non-motorized stretches and connect colonies to the BRT corridor, Metro stations and bus stops. 
    The non-motorized transportation (NMT) eco-corridor project will be incorporated into DDA’s master plan and has been prepared by UTTIPEC. The project has two components — developing areas along drains as recreational public spaces and developing a road network that includes special corridors for cycling and walking. “We have to shift focus from traffic planning to mobility planning. However, the development of recreational areas is entirely dependent on the cleaning of the drains. The project has been around for ages but if it has to work the government needs to take a holistic view of it and carry out all works together,” said an official. 
    The project aims to tackle open drains and bring down traffic congestion, which is the prime reason for Delhi’s rising pollution problems. “Among the proposals we have already mulled are connecting Nizamuddin Railway Station and ISBT to Jungpura Metro Station. The existing open drain behind Nizamuddin that passes by Jungpura is an ideal location to develop NMT. The other stretch is from Sheikh Sarai to Moolchand Metro station. This will also provide connectivity from the Saket malls to GK-I. The project along the Barapullah drain is the most extensive and will provide an interface with existing modes of public transport,” said UTTIPEC director Ashok Bhattacharjee. “We have a cycle sharing system along the BRT corridor but one reason it failed was the insufficient number of stations to park. Development of sufficient infrastructure is a priority. A sizeable number of cycle parking points, convenient hiring systems, accessible locations and dedicated paths even along the main roads need to be put in place. The cycle tracks need to become transit routes, between colonies, within colonies and between colonies and public transport points,” said a source. 
    The environment department, too, has been promoting the project. “By encouraging walking and cycling, we will be able to tackle congestion, bring down pollution, create open public spaces and deal with the problem of untreated sewage,” said an environment department official. 
Source: Times of India (28 Oct 2012, pg 4)