Shoppers upbeat about revamping Karol Bagh, Paharganj

Delhi shoppers are upbeat about the civic agency's plan to revamp the main markets of Karol Bagh and Paharganj, which house innumerable budget hotels and crummy guest houses.

people frequenting these areas have welcomed Tourism Minister Kumari Selja's announcement Wednesday to give a facelift to the two congested areas.

"Parking is one of the main problems in Karol Bagh and Paharganj. With lots of shops and eateries the places are hub markets and so the crowd is huge. If MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) is planning to revamp it, it has been long overdue," Amanjyoti Singh, a student and a frequent visitor to the markets, said Thursday.

The transport ministry had already allocated Rs.440 million for Paharganj and Rs.330 million for Karol Bagh to the MCD, which takes care of the two areas. The tourism ministry has also given the MCD Rs.110 million for building two parking bays and other civic amenities in these two areas.

"Traffic snarls owing to congested lanes in the two areas are another put-off. Sometimes the situation is so bad that the car will not even move. Parking space should be increased and in Paharganj the timings for the entry of bullock carts and hand-pulled carts should be regulated," Abhinav Rathod, a college lecturer, told IANS.

A Singapore style stack car parking is also on the cards in Paharganj before the Commonwealth Games. In this hydraulic stack parking system, cars can be moved vertically or horizontally with powerful hydraulic lifts. These will be multi-level parking lots.

Many backpackers, despite the crowds and the dilapidated buildings, prefer to stay in these two areas because of the affordable accommodation and the central location. The tourism ministry is working on creating 30,000 additional rooms in and around the national capital for the Games.

"Being crowded, security is the first casualty in these places. Hope this revamping will address this issue as well," said Ritika Kapoor, another frequent shopper.

India expects over 100,000 tourists during the Oct 3-14, 2010, Commonwealth Games.

( 344 Words)

2009-11-05-10:56:40 (IANS)

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