TRADERS OPPOSE PEDESTRIANISATION PLAN FOR M-BLOCK MARKET IN GK.

Traders say pedestrianisation will inconvenience shoppers

NEWDELHI:A group of traders has opposed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s (SDMC)’S plan to do away with parking of vehicles inside the Greater Kailash (GK)-I M-block market.

Delhi’s municipal corporations have been working to make some of the biggest and crowded markets across the city vehiclefree as part of their beautification drive and for added security. The three civic bodies, accordingly, have been carrying out pedestrianisation of the busy markets — Karol Bagh, Kamla Nagar, Sadar Bazar — on the directions of the Union ministry of home affairs.

Rajinder Sharda, chairman of the market’s trader association, said on Friday, “We have written to local councillor Shikha Rai, Member of Parliament Meenakshi Lekhi and South Delhi municipality deputy commissioner Aman Gupta to stop these plans right away. ”

“It was alright till they were only doing beautification work, like re-tiling the walkway with pink mosaic tiles, building disabled-friendly ramps. But, we are totally opposed to pedestrianisation. Ours is a high-end market and shoppers here like to park their vehicles right in front of the outlets that they want to visit. We want that convenience to continue,” he said.

The market has three parking lots right now. Two are at its entry roads: Gate number 1, which faces S1 Block, and gate number 2, towards Archana Complex. The third is within the market. The parking lots together have a capacity of 350 vehicles. The civic body wanted to stop parking inside the market within the next few weeks.

A senior SDMC officer said, “We plan to do away with the parking of vehicles inside the market. There is space for parking 200 vehicles. That space will be freed for shoppers on foot.

Those coming to the market can either park at the entry roads or near Archana complex. We will develop a valet system at GK-I M Block market.”

However, traders said GK-I M Block market is a high-end shopping street, with no less than 35 jewellery shops. “Why would people coming to buy jewellery want to park their cars 700 metres away? There’s a safety and security problem there,” said Kush Aggarwal, a trader here.