New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) A long-awaited plan for vintage electric golf carts to ferry visitors in Delhi’s busy Chandni Chowk market is likely to kick off soon, in a move to decongest the area and lend it an aesthetic look, officials said.
During his visit to Chandni Chowk last week, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena fumed at the poor condition of pedestrianised thoroughfare of the market in the old city. He had directed the PWD officials for deep cleaning and repair of roads, footpaths and bolards.
The step to introduce electric golf carts on the main road in Chandni Chowk has been taken following an instruction from the LG, an official said.
However, this approach to decongest the area is not a new one, he shared, adding that in 2021, the transport department had invited expression of interest for operation of vintage-look electric golf carts in Chandni Chowk but the project failed to take off then.
“The deep cleaning work has begun and will be completed in a fortnight. This will be followed by repair work for the central verge. Once all this is completed, we plan to get electric golf carts in Chandni Chowk for pedestrians,” he added.
The official said the introduction of golf carts would ensure cleanliness in the area and also enhance the aesthetics.
“There will be a fixed number of golf carts to ferry passengers. These will reduce the overcrowding caused by plying of rickshaws and e-rickshaws and also provide walking space for pedestrians. This leads to congestion and also dust pollution,” the official said.
When the transport department had proposed electric golf carts in 2021, it had planned to operate these carts on the Chandni Chowk main road between Lal Jain Mandir and Fatehpuri Masjid to cater to the mobility needs of people, especially the elderly, differently-abled, women and children.
There were plans to also ply them on other roads, adjoining the main road in the Walled City later.
In the first phase, there were plans to operate 11 golf carts and thereafter slowly increasing their number to 22. These were supposed to be eight-seater and battery operated.
The 1.5-km-stretch from Red Fort intersection to Fatehpuri Masjid in the Chandni Chowk area was pedestrianised. Besides, pedestrians only non-motorised vehicles, cycle rickshaws and e-rickshaws are only allowed to ply. PTI SLB RPA RPA
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