At a market in Malviya Nagar (Express Photo by Gajendra Yadav) Malviya Nagar, one of Delhi’s oldest and congested locality, could soon see freer roads with the South MCD preparing an elaborate decongestion plan under which five multi-level parking lots and a skywalk would be built.
A survey by SDMC found the area has 3,986 cars parked outside homes while just 741 cars are inside homes. The parking management plan will cater to areas like Malviya Nagar, Hauz Rani, Shivalik, Savitri Nagar, and Sadhna
Enclave with a combined space to accommodate 700 cars. A 960-metre-long and 4-m-wide skywalk, with 10 entry and exit points, has also been planned for better and safer pedestrian movement from Malviya Nagar Metro station to different localities. The civic body plans to make similar plans for other areas.
The skywalk, which will pass through residential blocks of Malviya Nagar, will culminate near Bhagat Singh Park, according to the plan by South MCD’s Remunerative Project (RP) cell. Pathways inside the parks will be connected to staircases for pedestrians to exit and enter. They will also have solar panels, benches and privacy screens where it crosses hear houses, as per the plan.
Area councillor Dr Nandini Sharma said she made the plan to tackle the traffic issue: “We will hold meetings with RWAs to address their concern on the skywalk, and with different stakeholders as we would be exploring funding under CSR initiatives due to the MCD’s financial constraints.”
Deputy commissioner, RP Cell, Prem Shanker Jha, said he will also discuss with DMRC to help build the skywalk as last-mile connectivity is also their domain.
Under the plan, five major problems of the area have been identified — encroachments of back lanes for parking; blocking public spaces with chains, two-wheelers and iron rods to reserve a parking spot; encroachment by mechanics and vendors. “Once people are given adequate parking space, it would be easy to stop such practices,” said Jha.