Cleaning plan still in limbo, traders at CP decry neglect

The paan-stained walls, paint-chipped columns and poorly maintained corners of Connaught Place market have come back into focus, with traders lamenting the lack of cleaning and housekeeping, even as the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has initiated efforts for the mechanised cleaning of the Hanuman temple complex at the neighbouring Baba Kharak Singh Marg. A similar project for Connaught Place (CP) market has been stuck in a bureaucratic logjam for over three years.

- Paras Singh and Gargi Shukla

Despite NDMC figuring among the top performers in the Swachh Survekshan, the annual cleanliness survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), traders at the city's central business district rue the condition of its common spaces, marred by paan stains, damaged floor tiles, shabby back lanes and poor maintenance.

Atul Bhargava, president of the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA), said the administration had been discussing mechanised cleaning and housekeeping of the marketplace for years, but nothing had materialised on the ground. "Even in the festive season, the market wears a shabby look. We have followed up with council and private agencies. If the services can be carried out in the Hanuman temple complex, can they also consider our market for a similar project?" he asked. Bhargava said the last time the market received proper maintenance was around the Commonwealth Games in 2010, and that only a "paint job" was done before the G20. "Diwali is coming and the market is riddled with chipping paint, paan-stained corners and poor maintenance of common areas. Parking lots are in a mess and back lanes are in a shabby state. Even traders are not allowed to undertake repair works as it requires permission from the Heritage Conservation Committee. The CP is a premier hub and it should be spruced up at least around festivals."