Sarojini Nagar market to be spruced up for G20
The NDMC secretary held a joint meeting with market associations of the area last week and a committee has been constituted to take up the developmental work, which will start this month
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has decided to spruce up the Sarojini Nagar market as part of redevelopment work across the city in the run up to the G20 summit meetings. The local body will develop selfie points, revamp pedestrian pathways, set up modern parking areas and convert a fountain in Keshav Park into a musical fountain, officials said.
The NDMC secretary held a joint meeting with market associations of the area last week and a committee has been constituted to take up the developmental work.
Ashok Randhawa, who heads the traders’ welfare association in the Sarojini Nagar mini-market, said, “We submitted a demand letter highlighting the dilapidated state of the market and the importance of beautifying it in the wake of the G20 summit. The council secretary held a meeting with all the departments and market associations and we were assured that development work will start this month.”
An NDMC official said the civil engineering department has been asked to submit a proposal for the redevelopment of Sarojini Nagar market area, which will cover issues such as repair of pedestrian pathways, signboards, four new selfie points near gate numbers 1 and 2 and Keshav Park, setting up more water vending machines and the development of a fountain in Keshav Park into musical fountain.
“The enforcement wing has been directed to start a weekly drive from Monday to restrict the movement of illegal hawkers in the area. We will work together with market associations to identify and remove overhead cables,” said an NDMC official.
Traders said the number of vendors at the market has risen significantly after hawkers were removed from the redeveloped Kartavya Path last year.
Randhawa said the market sees a very high footfall of women visitors but its seven toilets are poorly maintained. The traders’ association asked the local body to set up pink toilets for women. “We have 40,000-50,000 visitors every day and the numbers rise significantly during weekends and festival time. The number of toilets is insufficient and new complexes should be set up, especially in the Babu market area that does not have any toilet,” Randhawa said.
The minutes of the meeting dated February 3 state that the executive engineer (civil) has been directed to take action in this regard.
The Sarojini Nagar market comprises the main market with 200 shops, Babu market with 120 shops, Sarojini Nagar Mini Market with 32 shops, Thareja street vendors with 104 outlets and other professionals. Sarojini Nagar market is a land and development office market. It was constructed in 1951 and was earlier known as Vinay Marg Sub-District Centre.