Parking project at Parade Ground hits roadblock

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi's proposed parking facility at the Parade Ground here to provide a permanent solution to the parking woes of Chandni Chowk has hit a roadblock with the Shri Dharmik Ramlila Committee protesting against the move.The Committee has written to the civic body saying the parking facility would disrupt the Ramlila they hold at the Parade Ground every year. However, the civic body has said that since the parking would be underground it would not disturb any activity at the ground level."We are planning to hold a meeting with the Committee members this week to sort out matters," a senior MCD official said.Traders of the Walled City have also raised objection to the protest by the Ramlila Committee. Chandni Chowk Traders' Association general secretary Sanjay Bhargava said: "Finding parking space in a congested and commercial hub like Chandni Chowk is an uphill task. But finally when the MCD has started groundwork for constructing a parking facility, the Ramlila Committee is opposing it."

The MCD had zeroed in on the Parade Ground after the underground multi-level parking facility to be constructed at Shaheed Park hit a roadblock with the Archaeological Survey of India denying permission to the civic body for the project on the ground that it was within 100 metres of two Centrally-protected monuments, Khooni Darwaza and Ferozeshah Kotla ruins.

Original Article sourced from http://www.thehindu.com/2010/01/26/stories/2010012658980300.htm