Connaught Place wears deserted look

AMID ease in lockdown in the national capital, the famous Connaught Place wears a deserted look due to the aftermath of the pandemic. The famous market in Lutyen's Delhi has been rather quiet on the day 2 of unlock 3.0 with the reopening of markets and suspension of odd-even rule for shops.

The hustle and bustle in the lanes of Connaught Place is missing owing to multiple reasons including Covid-19 pandemic and lack of public transport. From inner circle of the central market to narrow lanes of Janpath, handful of people are visiting the shopping complexes including historic Palika Bazar. Set up in 1933-35, the Connaught Place had over 10 lakh visitors a day with prominent historical shops such as The Indian Coffee House, Indian Arts Palace, Rivoli being the centre of attraction. With less than a dozen visitors a day to each shop, sellers are now sceptical on how to keep the business alive, let alone witness any profits.

Vinay Kumar Thakur, General-Secretary, Palika Bazar Shopkeepers Welfare Association, spoke to Bizz Buzz on the ongoing business operations post easing of restrictions.

"Palika Bazar is one of Asia's oldest underground markets and today as you can see, we have no visitors. Our very name and existence were enough to attract tourists but now everything has changed. There is no business here since the reopening of the market since June 14," Thakur said.

Palika Bazar has 400 shops dealing in items such as electronics, junk jewellery and garments. According to Thakur, the absence of customers is also because of restricted operations at the Delhi metro. The underground shopping complex is owned by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

"We have no sales but we are still paying rental amount to NDMC with some shopkeepers paying as high as Rs 50,000/month. We were issued electricity bill as well for the lockdown period even though the entire shopping complex was closed. We are still paying all the taxes, bills and GST. There is no respite for us. If the current situation continues, we might have to protest," Thakur said.

He also said that limited commuters in Delhi metro have further dampened the shopping spirit of the customers. Delhi Metro resumed its services on June 7, with only 50 per cent seating capacity and no standing passengers allowed which has further reduced carrying capacity of trains by more than 80 per cent.

On June 5, New Delhi Traders Association held a mass vaccination camp for members of Connaught Place becoming the first commercial area of Delhi to arrange such a drive. However, such measures have not restored the faith of the general population to throng the famous market spaces.