Delhi Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu plans to transform five key stretches in New Delhi into 24/7 “complete streets” corridors that will make the roads economically vibrant, pedestrian-friendly and also social hotspots.
On Thursday, Sandhu held a meeting with experts and urban planners from the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) to redevelop these transit corridors.
“The renowned Delhi School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) made a comprehensive presentation on the redevelopment of Delhi’s transit corridors to transform them into green, pedestrian-friendly, employment-oriented and recreational stretches functional 24×7,” Sandhu said in a post on X.
“This impressive initiative is in line with Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for urban rejuvenation – promoting tourism, promoting local consumption and creating employment opportunities,” he added.
Sandhu also said that “such an ambitious endeavor will require strong collaboration and seamless coordination between various civic agencies of the capital.”
Sandhu said he assured Professor Dr. Virendra Kr Paul, Director, SPA Delhi, for “full support in exploring the viability of the project and facilitating effective inter-agency coordination for its successful implementation”.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, the five stretches that have been identified for the first phase of the project include the Minto Road-ITO-Karkardoorma corridor (an important link in East Delhi that has significant metro connectivity); Minto Road – Aruna Asaf Ali Marg – Jawaharlal Nehru Marg – Delhi Gate Area; Netaji Subhash Marg-Shantivan-Mahatma Gandhi Marg which lies along the river Jamuna. The area is also close to the IP Estate and ITO metro stations.
Dhaula Kuan – Jail Road/Cariappa Marg – Tilak Nagar flyover and Uttam Nagar – Tilak Nagar – Rajouri Garden are also included in this initial plan. These two areas also boast essential commercial activities and can provide multimodal connections across the city.
According to a HT report, Sandhu suggested that the Kingsway Camp–Mall Road section should be next in line when the time comes to plan and implement the next phase.
The emphasis is on public transport and mobility that is non-motorised. Civic challenges, which include flooding during monsoons and dust pollution, will be addressed through silt management, better storm water drainage as well as roadside plantations, the report said.
Third party quality checks will be performed to ensure strict specifications are met. The project will also build a framework for long-term operation and maintenance (using revenue generation models) in these areas to make it sustainable.
“Movable retail spaces integrated with cultural/informal craft bazaars for the night economy, quality street lighting, short-term parking and security surveillance for the safety of women and children are other important elements of the transit corridor development project,” said a statement issued by the LG office.
