Cars being parked on grass planted for beautification
Cars being parked on grass planted for beautification
Delhi's favourite Connaught Place resembles an adventure tourism spot these days more than a shopper's paradise. 
Grassroots problem: Cars parked along the stretch of planted grass
in CP on Thursday. pic/Imtiyaz Khan
It seems the plans of the civic agencies to refurbish the popular shopping centre is proving counter-productive with each projectu00a0 creating more problems than solving them.
Theu00a0u00a0 New Delhi Municipal Council(NDMC) has planted grass in some parts of the under-construction parking spaces on both the inner and outer circle. "The spaces were being created for people to sit and enjoy. We have also planned to erect benches in the green space, which were a part of the roadscaping works," said Anand Tiwari, spokesman, NDMC.
However, the green areas have reduced the parking space and shoppers have started driving over the newly-laid grass cover in order to place their vehicles.
"The entire area being dug up, I couldn't find a place to park my car. I have no option but to place it on the grass," said Pushkar Chawla, a visitor, who had trouble parking his SUV.
The parking plan in CP is a bone of contention between the NDMC and the traders' association. While the NDMC is planning to keep space for greenery besides creating parking area, the traders' association is fighting hard as less parking will lead to loss of business.
"A lot of taxpayers' money has gone into the beautification drive and if cars are parked on the grass then very soon it will be destroyed," said Richa Bahuguna, a visitor to CP. Tiwari clarifies that the grass isu00a0 grown with the help of a rubber mesh which doesn't allow it to be removed even under the impact of a vehicle's tyres.u00a0 "The mesh diverts the weight and absorbs moisture, thus protecting the grass," he said.
Digging deep
The NDMC has completed renovation work on seven blocks, out of the total 16 in Connaught Place, as part of the Rs 860 crore beautification project ahead of the Commonwealth Games.u00a0 Three parking bays have also been completed. Work on three subways, out of the planned eight, has been abandoned. As a major part of the circular shopping arcade is dug up for construction, parking has become a major issue.
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