Dissertation: Streets and People by Riya Chadha

Dissertation | People & Streets | 2017

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLE & SOCIAL URBAN SPACES THROUGH THE STREETS OF OLD & NEW DELHI

DISSERTATION IN ARCHITECTURE 2017-2018

Submitted by:

RIYA CHADHA 1400103010081./SSAA/B.Arch./14

Guide: Meenakshi Dubey, Assistant Professor

SUSHANT SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE ANSAL UNIVERSITY, GURGAON, INDIA i

Dissertation | People & Streets | 2017

SUSHANT SCHOOL OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE ANSAL UNIVERSITY, SECTOR 55, GURGAON â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 122003, HARYANA

BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE This Dissertation is submitted by RIYA CHADHA, student of Fourth Year B. Arch. Session 2017-2018, at Sushant School of Art and Architecture, Gurgaon, as partial requirement for the Five Year B. Arch. Degree course of Ansal University, Gurgaon. Originality of the information and opinion expressed in the Dissertation are of the author and do not reflect those of the guide, the mentor, the coordinator or the institution.

Signature of the Student: Roll No.: 1400103010081

Signature of Guide Name: MEENAKSHI DUBEY Date: 6.11.17

Name: RIYA CHADHA

Signature of Mentor Name: PARUL MUNJAL

Signature of Co-Mentor Name: ANKIT REVO Date: 6.11.17

Date: 6.11.17

Signature of Coordinator Name: RADHA DAYAL Date: 6.11.17 ii

Dissertation | People & Streets | 2017

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mrs. Meenakshi Dubey. I was fortunate to have her as my guide. Her expert advice, encouragement, and unconditional support made this journey a wonderful, pleasant, and enriching experience for me. She was an ideal support through this process. I would like to thank both my guides: Mrs. Parul Munjal and Mr. Ankit Revo for their constructive criticism, guidance, and support, for helping me expand the scope of the study areas, for meticulously reviewing the methodological aspects of the study and suggesting valuable changes and for providing new perspectives to look at the theoretical basis of the research design. I am grateful to all the people who volunteered to participate in my study. Their stories, experiences, opinions, ideas, and insights are invaluable to this study. Finally, I would like to thank my family and close friends - both nearby and in other continents for their encouragement and support; especially my mother. I am especially grateful for her unconditional love and support, patience, interest, and enthusiasm about my research.

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Dissertation | People & Streets | 2017

ABSTRACT

Streets constitute a significant part of open community space and are the most critical symbols of the public realm. Streets that take into account the practical, social, and recreation needs of individuals have been emphatically connected with economic growth, physical health of people, and a sense of community. In India, streets have traditionally been the public spaces around which social life has revolved. They constitute the urban public realm where individuals gather, celebrate and associate. This paper explores the development of streets in Old and New Delhi and its impact on the interrelationship between people, their behavior and social urban spaces. It looks at the variables that influence individuals to utilize these streets. By analyzing spatial and social forces that shape street experience and culture at the scale of the city, the locality, and the street itself, I shed new light on the social life of different types of streets, and how these streets act as living corridors through which one has daily social experiences. The outcomes propose that the requirements of users in the city rely upon different variables, for example, attractions; activities and explanations behind utilizing the streets; vicinity, lack of congestion; and commonality and length of engagement with the place, open space, greenery, public amenities, maintenance and opportunity of activity.

Dissertation | People & Streets | 2017

LIST OF FIGURES

Map 1 from ‘A handbook for travelers in India, Burma, and Ceylon’ (John Murray,1911,pg 344) Map 2 from Mapaplans http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~poyntz/India/images/Delhi1924.jpg (2013) Map 3 from Google Earth 6.0. 2013 51°42'39.17"N, 0°26'11.30"W, elevation 60M. 3D map, viewed 1st October 2017.<http://www.google.com/earth/index.html> Map 4 Google Earth 6.0. 2013 58°24'39.27"N, 0°26'15.10"W, elevation 70M. 3D map, viewed 25st October 2017.<http://www.google.com/earth/index.html> Map 5 Google Earth 6.0. 2013 61°24'59.22"N, 0°36'7.10"W, elevation 70M. 3D map, viewed 28st October 2017.<http://www.google.com/earth/index.html> Map 6 Google Earth 6.0. 2013 31°34'51.52"N, 0°56'7.40"W, elevation 60M. 3D map, viewed 12st November 2017.<http://www.google.com/earth/index.html> Map 7 Integration of Shahjahanabad with New Delhi, INTACH, Delhi Chapter, MCD Table 1 Number of stakeholders surveyed or interviewed Table 2 Research Methodology Flowchart Table 3 Connaught Place: Site Context and History Table 4 Connaught Place: Identity Table 5 Connaught Place: Public Participation Table 6 Connaught Place: Accessibility and Movement Pattern Table 7 Connaught Place: Market Design Table 8 Connaught Place: Streetscape and Street Furniture Table 9 Connaught Place: Public Policy and Implementation Table 10 Connaught Place: Safety, Security and Lighting Table 11 Connaught Place: Disaster Manangement Table 12 Connaught Place: Utilities and Sanitation Table 13 Chandni Chowk: Site Context and History Table 14 Chandni Chowk: Identity Table 15 Chandni Chowk: Public Participation Table 16 Chandni Chowk: Accessibility and Movement Pattern Table 17 Chandni Chowk: Market Design Table 18 Chandni Chowk: Streetscape and Street Furniture Table 19 Chandni Chowk: Public Policy and Implementation Table 20 Chandni Chowk: Safety, Security and Lighting Table 21 Chandni Chowk: Disaster Manangement Table 22 Chandni Chowk: Utilities and Sanitation Figure 1 Comparison of age and purpose of visit

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Figure 2 Age of visitors given their gender Figure 3 Purpose of visit comparison Figure 4 Comparison between age and purpose of visit Figure 5 % chart based on purpose of visit Figure 6 Gender and purpose of visit comparison Image 1 On street parking Image 2 Mixed traffic flow Image 3 Streetscape Image 4 Space right in front of Palika Bazaar Image 5 Spill out spaces in Connaught Place Image 6 Clearly defined Pedestrian path

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ii Acknowledgements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii Abstract --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv List of figures --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Streets and People -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.2 Shahjahanabad & Lutyen’s Delhi -------------------------------------------------------------- 2 1.3 Research Question ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 1.4 Research Objectives ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 1.5 Scope of Study ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 1.6 Geographical location --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 1.7 Rationale for Street Selection ------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 2.1 Research Strategy -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 2.2 Research Design --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1 Streets and People -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 3.2 History and background of Shahjahanabad --------------------------------------------------- 12 3.3 History and background of Lutyen’s Delhi --------------------------------------------------- 13 CHAPTER 4: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Data Collection on Chandi Chowk Road ----------------------------------------------------- 15 4.1 Data Collection on Connaught Place ---------------------------------------------------------- 21 4.3 Data Analysis ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 4.4 Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 46 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 5.1 Summary and Conclusions --------------------------------------------------------------------- 49 Annexes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 51 Bibliography ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 88

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Streets and People “In a city the street must be supreme. It is the first institution of the city. The street is a room by agreement, a community room, the walls of which belong to the donors, dedicated to the city for common use.” – Louis Kahn Streets are the backbone of our communities. They are the venue where we as citizens collectively share our triumphs, lament, and make our voices heard; they shape our way of life and provide a stage upon which life unfolds; they are certainly the most powerful and capable of public spaces. While architecture plays a vital role in any great street, it is the place between the buildings where communities truly thrive. The rapid growth and the construction in the cities have a tremendous influence on the relationship between the urban users and the social spaces. Wellused and lively streets are places for everyone to enjoy; places where people collectively coexist, find common interest and experience dynamic connection. The user of the street has a direct impact on the character of street. It depends on the purpose and function of the location, appearance, physical form and cultural characteristics of the user. (Camila De Simas, 2017) A successful design is not so much about how our buildings can shape us, but about making people feel like they have some control over their environment (Michael Bond, 2017). The streets and alleyways of Old Delhi are among the best-known examples of traditional urban environments in India. They are characterized by a great variety of users and activities, changing substantially according to day of the week, time of day or night, weather, seasons, and the cycle of public holidays, religious festivals and other special events. In Old Delhi, the streets are mostly narrow and crooked whereas the street plan and urban design of New Delhi seemed to deliberately contradict and negate every aspect of Old Delhi. New Delhi on the other hand, is purposefully low density, with wide streets and a complex Renaissance street pattern featuring a variety of geometric shapes including concentric circles, hexagons, octagons, and many elaborate roundabouts.

Dissertation | People & Streets | 2017

1.2 Introduction to Old and New Delhi Delhi has been a capital city since the antiquity and therefore has a rich and varied history which has left its numerous visible impressions. Both Shahjahanabad and Lutyenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delhi have been seats of power during different eras and have contributed to making Delhi what it is today. As they continue to grow side by side, each retains its own charms which is visible in the remains of their urban fabric. Shahjahanabad is, today, more visible than all the Delhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s built before it. Its traditional, dense, built form with central courtyards and tight streets are contrasting to the prototype of the European Style bungalow with vast green spaces of Lutyens Delhi. Survival in Old Delhi requires great instinct and capacity to adapt, but the complex human ecology provides an extraordinary range of opportunities in a small area. As it continues to develop, one can witness the changes in the spatial character of parts of the walled city. New Delhi, conceived and constructed between 1912 and 1931 was characterized by formally laid out axial movement networks, strongly articulated terminal vistas and a low-density, lowrise physical fabric. With the decision to establish a new capital, the British found a location south of it, leaving a large buffer open space between the two, which offered an excellent view of Shahjahanabad from not too far away. The street system focuses on a giant west-east ceremonial mall axis with the principal governmental buildings at the top end and major monuments at the bottom.

1.3 Research Question The aim of this research is to address the question: How have the streets in both Old and New Delhi developed over a period of time and how do they influence the relationship between people and social urban spaces? Streets of both Old and New Delhi interact with its people in a different manner. By comparing the two streets, its activities and the behavior of people, one can understand the interrelationship between them, the gradual change over a period of time and its impact on social urban spaces and people today.

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1.4 Research Objectives Shahjahanabad is a mixed-use space, contrary to Lutyenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delhi, consisting of clearly defined functions and uses for various zones. This has a direct impact on its streets and therefore, its people. The dissertation covers a detailed understanding of the streets of Old and New Delhi and how it shapes communities within its boundaries. It is a comparative study which will help understand the overall changes that have taken place in both the streets respectively, and how people react to it. The objectives are as follows: 1. To identify the varied history through the contrasting cities of organic, pedestrian oriented highly dense Old Delhi and the planned vehicle oriented low density, open Lutyens Delhi. 2. To understand the significance of streets and the functions it performs for its various users. 3. To study people and their behavior while interacting with the streets and how it impacts the larger outcome of community building differently in both the cities of Old and New Delhi. 4. To recognize the humanizing aspect of streets which impacts people and influences their behavior in social urban spaces.

1.5 Scope of Study Both Shahjahanabad and New Delhi have been analyzed in depth by various organizations over a varied period of time with regard to urban development projects, conservation and renewal of the lost history. In 2004, the proposal for Chandni Chowk Redevelopment was worked out by architect Abhimanyu Dalal in consultation with the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research and was approved by Delhi Urban Arts Commission and Municipal Corporation of Delhi. However, it was never taken forward as the government did not have enough workers and funding to carry out the redevelopment project. (Parvez Sultan, 2016) Aishwarya Tipnus, a conservational architect successfully studied Chandi Chowkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streetscape, under the guidance of Abhimanyu Dalal and carried out an Urban Conservation Plan in 2009 based on the understanding of the street and its significance, analysis of the issues which threaten 3

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to undermine or devalue its significance related to traffic, infrastructure, services upgradation and recommends appropriate policies for repairs, restoration, planning new development of the streetscape. Similarly, a Renovation and Restoration of Connaught Place was envisaged in 2004 under the supervision of New Delhi Municipal Council and JNRUM but the project was plagued by undue delays. It declared New Delhi as the metropolitan Centre for the masterplan 2021. The scope of study of this paper would take this forward and understand the communal streets of Shahjahanabd and Lutyenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delhi in comparison and recognize the existing issues with respect to its users and their interactions with one another in these public spaces and further understand whether they influence the relationship between people and social urban spaces.

1.6 Geographical location

MAP 1 showing the proximity of Old and New Delhi and their respective city planning 4

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MAP 2 showing New and Old Delhi

1.7 Rationale for Street Selection To achieve the objectives of my dissertation, it is imperative to study the streets and its interaction with people. For that purpose, I will be focusing on two major streets of Old and New Delhi. Old Delhi is a world of relatively narrow streets surrounding large and irregularly shaped blocks penetrated by many alleyways. Most of the buildings of Old Delhi are not officially zoned for single uses, thus providing a different experience of street life as compared to the zoned spaces of New Delhi. Main road of Chandi Chowk is the street chosen for this study. It is the central artery of Old Delhi consisting of over 1200 shops. The boulevard was created as an integral part of Shahjahanabad, creating an elegant promenade from the imperial residence in the Red Fort to the heart of the walled city. New Delhi, on the other hand, is based on the idea of citizens perceptually living in a garden environment with clearly defined land use. Inner circle of Connaught Place, the respective 5

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street chosen, for comparison with Chandi Chowk is a majestic circular building complex. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-storeyed high buildings with colonnaded shopping arcades are set around a grand circus. Both the streets are the hubs for their respective cities and add value to the space. By studying them together, it will help understand the changes in behavior of people living in these areas, with respect to the functions it provides.

MAP 3 showing Lutyenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delhi with Inner Circle marked (Google Earth, 2017)

MAP 4 showing Shahjahanabad with Chandi Chowk road highlighted (Google Earth 2017) 6

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CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY

2.1 Research Strategy The research involves a mixed strategy approach where analysis was done on both the quantitative and qualitative information. The criteria for selecting the street was based on its area inside the urban focus and its social demographic backgrounds. The street condition was analyzed in regard of the physical qualities through questionnaire surveys, interviews and observations of the usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities and physical environment of the street. The analysis of surveys of 50 respondents selected using random sampling. In this study, structured observations of the usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; activities and physical condition of the street was led as a major aspect of the multi method approach to record the physical characteristics and the qualities in urban pedestrian environments and to study human activities on the streets. An interview with a small group of sellers was also conducted to probe on issues briefly mentioned in the survey in order to determine the influence of the environment on the pedestrian behavior. Field observations and documentation of the quality of the site in the form of maps and photographic records were conducted for each sub-area (Connaught Place and Chandi Chowk) of the case study. Field notes and related photographs were taken to examine the usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; interactions with the physical settings, features and others. The information was handled utilizing both subjective and quantitative methodologies and organized to discover potential examples and patterns. The information gathered was free of each other and was investigated simultaneously to permit the general patterns and the causal components to develop. 2.2 Research Design The research was separated into various stages which included surveys, literature review, and semi structured interviews. The main stakeholders were the buyers/visitors, sellers and government official. Distinctive strategies were utilized for various stakeholders as the research expects to consider different points of view and diverse perspectives. The buyers were asked to 7

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fill questionnaires for quantitative data while semi structured interviews were conducted with sellers and government officials. 1. Primary Research The street environment is examined in respect of the physical qualities through the analysis of questionnaires, interviews and observations of the users’ activities and physical environment of the street. Primary data collected through these informal on-site interviews will then be compared to data available from other sources; i.e., books, articles, and government reports for their accuracy. Stakeholder

Sample size (each)

Mode

Seller

Interview

Government official

Interview

Buyers/visitors

Survey

Architect

Interview

Table 1: Number of stakeholders surveyed or interviewed 2. Secondary Research The secondary data was collected from multiple sources like practitioner reports, websites and press articles. In order to understand the relevance of streets and how it directly impacts people, the following texts were studied before conducting primary research: A. ‘Streets for People’ by Bernard Rudofsky B. ‘Image of a City’, by Kevin Lynch C. ‘Happy City’ by Charles Montgomery D. Great Streets by Allan Jacobs For better understanding of Lutyen’s Delhi and Shajahanabad, the following texts were studied: A. ‘Indian Summer’ by Robert Grant Irving B. ‘Shahjahanabad: The Sovereighn City in Mughal India’, 1639-1739 (Stephen P. Blake) C. Chapter Three of ‘In the city, out of Place’ by Awadhendra Sharan D. ‘Planning Twentieth Century Capital Cities’ by David Gordon 8

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E. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The idea of Delhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by Romi Khosla Diverse streets within and outside of India were also studied in the form of the literature review, along with other specified texts which provided a fundamental understanding of the various aspects of a street. Therefore, the crucial parameters for data analysis of a street were decided which would further assist to establish a relationship between its people and spaces. These parameters form the basis of the detailed analysis in the forthcoming chapters. These parameters consisted of the following: 1) Context and Evolution 2) Identity 3) Public Participation 4) Accessibility and Movement Patterns 5) Market Design 6) Streetscape and Street furniture 7) Public Policy and Implementation 8) Safety, Security and Lighting 9) Disaster Management 10) Utilities and Sanitation

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Table 2: Research Methodology Flowchart

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CHAPTER 3: LITERATURE REVIEW

The Literature review is divided into multiple sections that aim to emphasize and critically analyze the research that is being carried out. This provides a foundation for the research, data collection and analysis that shall be carried out through the course of the dissertation.

3.1 Streets and its impact on people Bernard Rudolfsky, in his book ‘Streets for People’, talks about urban decay; the street in cities; and the culture of the street. He says that a street is a volume and is inseparable from its environment. “The street is the matrix: urban chamber, fertile soil and breeding ground. Its viability depends as much on the right kind of architecture as on the right kinds of humanity.” (Robert Rudolfsky, 1969, p.20) Crowhurst-Lennard and Lennard (1995) argue that urban public space is the single most important element in establishing a city’s livability. Allan Jacobs in his book ‘Great Streets’ also believes that for our cities to thrive, we need more great streets. He speaks of the “magic” a great street embodies—that intangible quality that some streets exude and that makes the street experience stirring and meaningful. He also stresses on sociability being a large part of why cities exist and streets being a major if not the only public place for that sociability to develop. Jane Jacobs (1961), talks about streets being the most abundant and distributed of community spaces in cities and how their vitality reflects the vitality of the city at large. She implies that when individuals don't feel safe in a city or part of it, it is on the grounds that they don't feel safe on its streets. Livable streets, she stresses upon are more than just the absence of danger or fear – they are able to meet a diversity of human needs to contribute to a high quality of life. The further highlights the character of the street which varies according to the purpose and function of the location, physical form and appearance, socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the user as well as the inhabitant.

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The writer and urban specialist Charles Montgomery (2013), who collaborated with Ellard on his Manhattan study, talks about “an emerging disaster in street psychology”. In his book Happy City, he warns: “As suburban retailers begin to colonize central cities, block after block of brica-brac and mom-and-pop-scale buildings and shops are being replaced by blank, cold spaces that effectively bleach street edges of conviviality.” He continues to say that people have been shown to be happier when they live a connected life, establishing casual but regular relationships with the people they meet through simple residential proximity. “The power of scale and design to open or close the doors of sociability,” he writes, “is undeniable.” By admitting to New York being a desolate place, Rudolfsky talks about the monotony of its citizens lives and how they lost all sense of urgency to care for the city’s looks. He goes on to say that tracery of traffic arteries sums up the essential shabbiness of the cities. Through various other examples like Milan and Paris, he touches upon all traits of a street like cleanliness, reaction to natural calamities, lighting of streets, connection of people to its towns, noise level, walkability, public avenues and preservation of non-buildings and its effect on the behavior of people residing in these cities. If a street is a commercial street, the design should enable the users to get to the shop, to cross the road and have other static and leisure activities, such as chatting and lingering in front of the shop windows (Davies 2000). A mixture of activities and use can create a successful community and public space that enables the street to attract more people to come (Shamsuddin, 2011).

3.2 Background and history of Shahjahanabad In his book, ‘Shahjahanabad: The Sovereighn City in Mughal India’, Stephen Blake (1997), introduced Old Delhi, city of the Mughal capital built between 1639 and 1648 by Emperor Shah Jahan, known for its distinguishing features denoting an independent urban growth in many respects. The city was based on the Hindu planning principles of shilpashastra from vastushastra and was karmukha or bow shaped, for prosperity. Canals used to flow along the middle of the road reflecting the moonlight but were removed by the the British removed it in 1910. The planning of the city of Shahjahanabad was done in a manner that it symbolizes the hold of the ruler in many ways. However, Shahjahanabad was not solely dependent on the emperor for 12

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its growth or sustenance. The urban communities retained ‘their own distinctive style and character’. This is the reason that in spite of the decline in the power of the Mughal emperor, Shahjahanabad continued to flourish as a busy commercial center even today. The urban morphology of the city which is a mixture of formal and organic geometries inspired from Persian towns and Timurid layouts of central Asian cities as expressed by Romi Khosla (2005). Shahjahanabad’s commercial streets were split into two separate bazaars, contrary to the other central Asian prototypes where the street crossed at the centre of the city, dividing it into four quarters. She stresses on the influence of culture and styles on urban components that make up a city. The most important feature of Shahjahanabad was its mohallas (quarters), a distinguishable area of residential and commercial activity, connecting to a spine street that linked to a primary or secondary bazaar street and helped regulate the entry of people. Within the mohalla were found katras, a complex of buildings, enclosed by high walls and entered through a gate. Awadhendra Sharan (2014) talks about this concept as an indicator of the cramping of a dense urban setting and the city is being considered overcrowded to the most dangerous degree. Throughout the chapter she emphasizes on the congestion and chaos in Old Delhi, a predominant concept relevant to Shahjahanabd and indicates the planned imperial capital was an entirely distinct space, needing to be saved from the blot of the congested, irregular and traditional Old City.

3.3 Background and history of Lutyen’s Delhi Building the new city of Lutyen’s Delhi took nearly twenty years, and this was in spite of the fact that the decision to build a 'new Delhi' was taken simultaneously with the decision to transfer the capital. The site chosen for New Delhi was a sparsely populated area, sloping up gently from the Yamuna river and Purana Quila towards the west, culminating in a mound called Raisina Hill, fulfilling most of the requirements for a well-planned city to develop like altitude, water and soil. It was conceived by Lutyens as a combination of two separate geometric commercial and recreational activities with the residential areas. The other grid was a monumental one along 13

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Central Vista, now Rajpath, which in turn, linked the capital complex marked by Viceregal House on Raisina hill with the War Memorial serving as a kind of symbolic entry from the riverside. The conceptual plans are distinguished for the visual reference that they make to aspects of historic Delhi. One avenue, now Parliament Street, is linked to Jama Masjid, while the Central Vista unified, visually speaking, the Viceregal House with Purana Qila. (A K Jain, 1990) In the book â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Indian Summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, by Robert Grant Irving, he brought the incongruity of this spectacular city to light. He talked about its completion just in time for its own obsolescence. He exhibited New Delhi as a design accomplishment, executed with immense skill, but carried out on what could only be called unsteady ideological ground. In that sense, however, New Delhi has no precise equivalent in our time. It is not like Mussolini's or Hitler's huge construction projects, neither is it like Canberra or Brasilia, for it was not built by a local government, trusting somehow to express the goals of its own way of life, yet by the rulers of another culture through and through.

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CHAPTER 4: DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The data collection and analysis was done to explore the different relationships and the choice of these was influenced by the research objectives. For the qualitative data, the process of data collection and analysis proved to be collaborative in nature and the entire data was reviewed and structured using narratives that helped to understand relationships and produce analysis. Before the main surveys and questionnaires, a field visit to the selected study areas was done that gave an idea about the context of the streets and their characteristics. This also helped determine the way for approaching the ultimate study samples.

4.1 Data on Chandi Chowk Road Chandi Chowk road is 1340 meters in length, starting from Fatehpuri Masjid till Red Fort, Old Delhi. According to the Redevelopment Plan of Chandi Chowk by architect Abhimanyu Dalal (Map 7), the existing Right of Way is 30 meters, with auto rickshaws being the maximum percentage of the total traffic, followed by cars commuting on this road. The street is accessible by all kinds of vehicles and is highly active throughout the day as seen in map 5.

MAP 5: Typical Traffic on a weekday evening (Google Earth, 2017)

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Findings from the Survey Instrument i.e. Questionnaire and Tally •

The survey was conducted with 50 visitors of Chandi Chowk out of which 80% were residents of Delhi and the remaining were not. It was also found that despite 80% of the users being from Delhi itself, more than 70% of them were not residents of Chandi Chowk.

•

37 out of 50 visitors preferred the use of public transport to reach the street for example by metro, bus, auto rickshaw or by foot. The percentage of users traveling by cars were low and chose that mode of transport entirely because of comfort.

•

In figure 1, it is divided into the specific functions chosen at every age group. For example, between 30-50 most of the visitor’s primary focus is shopping.

•

In figure 2 below, more number of females visited the street between the age of 30-60 years while male and female visitors were of equal percentage between the ages of 20-30.

•

The figure below also indicates that between ages of 40-50, out of the 38 total visitors, the distribution of female visitors is much higher than male, making the proportions extremely unequal. While between 30-40 and 50-60 years of age, the distribution was more or less equal.

FIGURE 1: Comparison of age and purpose of visit

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FIGURE 2: Age of visitors given their gender

Questions based on access and movement Pattern: •

It was found through the questionnaire that 46% of the visitors found no difficulty in reaching the street, whereas out of the remaining, 30% found it extremely difficult and 24% were neutral.

•

When asked about the frequency of their visits to the street, 60% of the respondents said they come almost every month, a minority of 8% said they come multiple times a week and the remaining 30% of the respondents confirmed that it was their first visit.

•

With reference to the recognized traffic condition and complete chaos during peak hours, more than 80% of the respondents said that private vehicles should not be allowed on this street.

Questions based on social Interaction: •

20% of the respondents said that they prefer coming alone as it is quicker to get their work done. 30% of the others said that although they could come alone and see no problem in doing so, they would prefer to bring a friend or family member along.

•

When asked about their primary purpose of visit, 60% stated to have come to shop from the street wholesale market, while around 30% of the visitors’ primary aim was to experience the street, in terms of history, tourism and sight-seeing. Remaining 10% either came to eat or visit the various religious buildings on the street like the Gurudwara, Jain Temple and Church, all along the main street of Chandi Chowk. 17

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•

In figure 3, one can infer the same from the graph indicating the maximum number of the visitors’ primary focus being shopping, then being food, followed by experience and then religious needs. In all of the functions, women are more in number than male, specially shopping.

•

More than 80% of the visitors agreed to coming back to the street despite all the issues of Chandi Chowk. Their preferred time of visit was during the morning hours with 60% of respondents choosing between 10 am and 2 pm as their window.

Questions of Streetscape and its development of the years:

•

The most common inference came from the development of the street over the years where most people spoke about its deterioration, unhygienic environment and the lack of initiative taken by the government to improve the lives of the residents. Majority of people denied the existence of footpaths along the market, next to the vehicular road, simply because of its condition.

•

When asked about the major concern for the street of Chandi Chowk, 45% of respondents said mixed flow of traffic (see images 1 and 2 below), which causes huge traffic jams on the street throughout the day. 30% of the people also complained of noise pollution, another huge concern for Chandi Chowk. The rest stressed on on-street parking, encroachment of road by hawkers and crime as major apprehensions. (image 3)

FIGURE 3: Purpose of visit comparison

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Image 1: On street parking

Image 2: Mixed traffic flow

Image 3: Streetscape

Findings from the interviews The interview was conducted with various participants of Chandi Chowk. 4 sellers/shop-keepers were interviewed, 1 government official responsible for the proper functioning of Shahjahanabad and 1 architect, who has previously worked closely on Chandi Chowk. Out of the 5 sellers, 30% were whole sale shop owners of garments, 20% were owners of a restaurant, 40% were jewelry sellers and the remaining were hawkers.

Questions on Social Interaction: •

The common factor that was found between all of them was their comfort of being where they are. Almost all of them also indicated that the surrounding shops were either a close relatives or friends making it safe place for them.

•

When asked if they would want to change their shop location to some other part of the street, they gave similar responses indicating stability.

•

80% of the shops owners interviewed had been in the market for over 6 generations, completely close to 60- 70 years of sale.

•

They also spoke about their regular customers’ loyalty towards the shop.

Questions on access and movement pattern:

•

Most of the sellers said that their shops had adequate footfall with 50-70% of the visitors actually entering the shop.

•

One aspect of movement majority of sellers were against was the ban of private vehicles on the street as it would decrease their customers drastically, causing loss to their business. 19

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Questions on safety and other amenities:

â&#x20AC;˘

More than 75% of them criticized the lack of street lighting after 6 pm, making it unsafe for women and young adults to wander alone.

â&#x20AC;˘

Although 60% of the sellers strongly believed crime was not one of the major issues in Chandi Chowk, other 40% were unaware.

â&#x20AC;˘

When asked amount other amenities like water and electricity, more than 90% of them acknowledged that they receive it regularly.

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4.2 Data on Inner Circle, Connaught Place Inner Circle of Connaught Place, situated in Central Delhi, is home of an array of the shops and restaurants and the famous Palika Bazaar. It is circular in shape with a large park in the middle, universally known as the largest hub of its kind in India. Due to wide variety of functions, principally commercial and retail, it has a large footfall all throughout the day. As seen in map 6 typical traffic indicates heavy movement on all days of the week.

MAP 6: Typical traffic in CP on a weekday

Findings from the Survey Instrument i.e. Questionnaire and Tally Count â&#x20AC;˘

The survey was conducted with 50 visitors of Connaught Place out of which 60% were residents of Delhi and the remaining were not.

â&#x20AC;˘

28 out of 50 visitors preferred the use of public transport to reach the street. Although the percentage of users traveling by private vehicles was lower, it was mostly because of the inadequate parking facilities in Connaught Place. 21

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â&#x20AC;˘

In figure 4, it is clearly visible that maximum number of people visiting the inner circle are between 30-40 years of age, out of which maximum percentage come to shop, followed by work and then food and leisure equally.

â&#x20AC;˘

In all age brackets, shopping is the main function in Connaught Place. Between 25-35 years of age, a large part of the total is interested in leisure/recreational activities.

FIGURE 4: Comparison between age and purpose of visit

FIGURE 5: % chart based on purpose of visit

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FIGURE 6: Gender and purpose of visit comparison

Questions based on access and movement Pattern: •

It was found that 75% of the visitors found no trouble in reaching the road, though out of the remaining, 10% discovered it marginally hard to find and 5% were neutral.

•

When asked about the frequency of their visits, while half of the respondents said they come each month, 10% of the respondents affirmed that it was their first visit.

•

Adding to the tumult amid peak hours is the clamoring footfall of Palika bazaar and Janpath market which is the principle reason behind pedestrian population around Connaught Place. (See image 4 below)

Image 4: Space right in front of Palika Bazaar 23

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Questions based on social Interaction: •

The respondents were asked whether they would be comfortable visiting Inner circle alone to which a consistent answer was yes.

•

When asked about their basic need to come, 55% stated to have come to shop, while the . other 45% agreed to either come for a meal or coffee or work.

•

Another inquiry in view of community building suggested that 70% of the visitors liked their experience on the street while 20% of the visitors said that they had a bad experience with homeless people around the inner circle.

•

Dominant part of the visitors agreed to coming back, attributable to its one-of-a kind experience. The preferred time of visit was the most differed answer, ranging from morning to night.

Questions of Streetscape and its development of the years: •

When inquired on the advancement of the street over the years where greater part of the visitors knew the essential history behind its development.

•

Majority of people appreciated the existence of footpaths alongside spill out spaces for people to sit (see images 5 & 6 below), parallel to the vehicular road, but considerably away.

•

When asked about the major concern for the street of Connaught Place, 35% of respondents said mixed flow of traffic, while 30% of the people also complained of air contamination.

Image 5: Spill out spaces in Connaught Place

Image 6: Clearly defined Pedestrian path 24

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Findings from the interviews The interview was conducted with various participants of Connaught place. Following the similar configuration, 5 shop-keepers were interviewed and 1 architect- Rajeev Sood, Chief architect of NDMC was interviewed. Out of the 4 sellers, 50% were shop proprietors of high end brands, 10% were owners of a roof top restaurants, 10% were fast food joints and 20% were hawkers.

Questions on Social Interaction •

Most of the shopkeepers stressed on the constant activity that continues to take due to the large variety of shops, some of which have newly opened to some which were more than 10 years old.

•

Rajeev Sood also stressed on the events that take place in Connaught Place like Raahgiri, which encourages social interaction.

Questions on access and movement pattern •

Most of the sellers when interviewed, said that their shops had a reasonable footfall with 30-35% of the visitors actually entering the shop.

•

Similar to Chandni Chowk, shopkeepers in Connaught Place, spoke about their dispute with the government in relation to the ban of private vehicles on the street as it would decrease their business.

Questions on safety and other amenities •

A majority of shopkeepers were satisfied with the street lighting, and general safety in Connaught Place, making it safe for women and young adults to wander alone during late evening.

Table 3 Connaught Place: Site Context and History

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Table 4 Connaught Place: Identity

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Table 5 Connaught Place: Public Participation

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Table 6 Connaught Place: Accessibility & Movement Pattern

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Table 7 Connaught Place: Market Design

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Table 8 Connaught Place: Streetscape

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Table 9 Connaught Place: Public Policy

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Table 10 Connaught Place: Safety, Security and Lighting

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Table 11 Connaught Place: Disaster Management

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Table 12 Connaught Place: Utilities & Sanitation

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Table 13 Chandni Chowk: Site Context & History

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Table 14 Chandni Chowk: Identity

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Table 15 Chandni Chowk: Public Participation

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Table 16 Chandni Chowk: Accessibility & Movement Pattern

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Table 17 Chandni Chowk: Market Design

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Table 18 Chandni Chowk: Streetscape

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Table 19 Chandni Chowk: Public Policy & Implementation

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Table 20 Chandni Chowk: Safety, Security & Lighting

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Table 21 Chandni Chowk: Disaster Managment

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Table 22 Chandni Chowk: Utilities & Sanitation

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4.4 Summary Observations and Challenges Based on the parameters discussed in depth, the collective observations and challenges were as follows: 1. Site Context and History Through the dissertation, it has been established that, Chandni Chowk and Connaught Place have changed momentously from the time they were respective seats of power. As they continue to exist as significant heritage markets in Delhi, local authorities like New Delhi Municipal Council and Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation are trying their best to retain its original identity. However, the change in the scale has impacted the streets immensely, which has had a direct effect on the social interactions taking place as well. 2. Identity Both the streets continue to create a unifying identity for the community and the city at large. Majority of the shop owners in Chandni Chowk have inhibited the street for generations because they feel both a sense of belonging and purpose. Similarly, Connaught Place, a street that started of as a commercial hub has urbanized into one of the largest public spaces, conducive to social interactions. Both the streets have been able to develop distinctive identities for themselves and are visited by different kinds of people. 3. Public Participation What makes people return to the streets of Chandni Chowk and Connaught Place is because of the irreplaceable experiential quality which cannot be re-created elsewhere. Raahgiri, a successful event in Connaught Place became a platform to bring people together in pursuit of common goals in a public space. Even in Chandni Chowk, owing to itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exclusivity, all stakeholders want to be involved but because of the lack of compromise, and consensus by the buyers, sellers and government officials, none of the efforts are able to get implemented. 4. Accessibility and movement Patterns Despite being well connected by the metro and road, the major problem remains the congestion and overcrowding of these streets. Chandni Chowk has not been been pedestrianized till now, despite the 10-year-old Redevelopment plans and its revised versions, due to lack of will by the local authorities and the opposition by the shop keepers. The residents and visitors of Chandni 46

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Chowk need to realize the urgency and significance in keeping its culture alive. 5. Market Design The streets act as an ‘urban glue’ that binds the architecture of the place together and leave a memorable impact on the visitors which keeps bringing them back to the street. Chandni Chowk is a whole sale market with particular streets famous for specific goods. Similarly, Connaught Place provides a large variety of functions in one place, which enables more interaction. 6. Streetscape and Street Furniture The landscape of Connaught Place is a very important aspect of the street, which differentiates it to Chandni Chowk. Its open colonnaded walkways, large central green park and sizable sitting spaces helps bring vivacity to the place, assisting it to function as a social urban space. Whereas Chandni Chowk is narrow, confined and devoid of street furniture with damaged pathways, decreasing the social interactions on the street. 7. Public Policy The key problem on the streets is traffic and cannot be solved until the mindset of the people isn’t changed. Both Chandni Chowk and Connaught place need to be made car free zones to heighten social interactions. Until the visitor’s compromise and agree on parking their car outside the street and the shopkeepers understand that their business will not get affected, no amount of government plans and interventions will have any effect on the actual street. Public Policy needs to address the issues of transportation and circulation, parking, encroachment specially in Chandni Chowk, and illegal construction as all these factors directly effect the relationship between people and social urban spaces. 8. Safety, Security and Lighting Street lighting needs to be improved in both the streets, to facilitate and encourage social interactions during night time. Although Connaught Place is better equipped while dealing with safety, Chandni Chowk needs to be upgraded. CCTV cameras and other security measures need to be activated on the street. 9. Disaster Management There are many risks that Chandni Chowk faces especially in light of crumbling Infrastructure like the hanging wires and poles around the street. Also the narrow streets make it inaccessible for a fire truck to enter it in case of an emergency. These factors needs to be looked into while 47

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designing a good street. Connaught Place, on the other hand, has different issues like maintaining and preserving the original construction that is getting damaged because of the new restaurant and bar owners. 10. Utilities and Sanitation With campaigns like Smart City and Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, there should be improvements in the quality of the streets, which is not the case for Chandni Chowk. The wires continue to hang dangerously throughout the street, there is unreliable power supply and heaps of construction waste and garbage. Connaught Place has been provided with smart toilets, a step towards more efficient streets. With the support of this detailed analysis, it can be confirmed that human behavior and experience of public spaces can be influenced by the physical and ambient features of the built environment. It has been identified that physical features may include buildings, streets, landscaping, land forms and architectural elements, and ambient features may include sound, smell, temperature and illumination. It has also been identified that other factors such as age, gender, culture and background are also capable of affecting the way people respond to the urban space.

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CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION

This study was a comprehensive evaluation of the transformations that have taken place and empirical analysis of behavioral responses, perceptions, and attitudes of people to the characteristics of two significantly important streets in Delhi. The emphasis was on the design that incorporates the components of the social environment (its uses, activities, administration), the elements of the setting (its fixed, semi-fixed and movable objects), and the places that have special meanings for the community and its interrelationship with the people. Therefore, it was an attempt to integrate these approaches and arrive at an understanding of the nature of the street and in what way does it facilitate social interactions. Although the people observed on these commercial streets represent a wide range of age, gender, and class, the majority of people interviewed were Indian. There are likely to be cultural differences especially in relation to local residential environments. Further, it is likely that in other commercial streets or similar environmental settings with a different ethnic and racial mix and different culture the use of these settings may be different. The social interaction on the street, as observed, and desired by people in this study may not represent a cultural behavioral pattern that is universally accepted. Limitations and Recommendations There are practical considerations of time and resources that limit all research. In this study, the inquiry was limited to commercial streets of Shahjahanabad and Lutyenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delhi. Both the locations are similar in many ways: they are in urban areas that have a high population density and have an extensive and varied historical past. They are well served by major transit and are relatively known places for people to walk in, to shop, dine, and seek other entertainment. Although both these streets support social interactions in their own way, as we have stablished through this study, they are generally not perceived as safe due to the commotion and chaos on a daily basis. There are growing issues of traffic and pollution, absence of walkability which needs to be addressed. Due to the lack of Government will and unity, none of the redevelopment plans, both in Old and New Delhi have been completely enforced. Both the plans gave some solutions to the evident problems but without actually solving the issue of pedestrianisation and making it a car free zone, the streets will continue to stay chaotic and become inaccessible in no time.

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The findings of this study also imply that streets like Chandni Chowk and Connaught Place are unique in the way that they respond to diverse cultures and traditions to a large extent, and it is essential that the physical environment of the city continues to allow them to do so. Planners need to be sensitive to the way in which they conceptualize and plan interventions, extensions and new developments in the city such that they respond to the local physical, socio-economic and ecological context within which they are located in order to maintain the urban identity and image. All attempts in the past by various architects have been futile because of the lack of awareness for the people visiting the street. Unless they feel like an equal stakeholder in the process of humanizing the street that facilitates social interactions, they will not cooperate. Community programs, and planning and economic development policies need to support and preserve small independent businesses on the streets, which are conducive to the growth of the street, especially the ones that are perceived as community places, adopt management and design strategies that serve pedestrians and help integrate social functions to make these commercial streets more useful and approachable by its users. Therefore, there is a need for a reclassification of streets and redefinition of hierarchiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in order to be able to generate street plans and designs that are more specific to their local context, historical significance, city structure and promote social interactions. The findings of this study also suggest that it is the engagement between the places that have special meanings for the community, the components of the behavioral nature, and the elements of the physical setting that creates a comfortable, meaningful and therefore desirable environment for people on streets. In the midst of constant transformation, the importance of public spaces for quality of life remains constant. They continue to be spaces for exchange, coexistence and meetings. They continue to be vital for urban well-being. Beyond the walls that surround us, on the street is where life happens.

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ANNEXES 7.1.1 SURVEY SITE: SHAJAHANABAD STAKEHOLDER 1: VISITORS/BUYERS The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose. Preliminary information

No. 1

Name:

Gender:

Age:

Profession:

Nationality:

Address:

Question 1: How far is the market from where you live? a. Less than 1 km b. 1-3 km c. 4-10 km d. more than 10 km Question 2: How did you travel to get to the market? a. Public transport b. Private Access and movement Pattern Question 3: Was it difficult to reach the main street? a. Yes b. Not all c. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t easy, but not difficult either

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Question 4: How often do you go to the market and how has it changed over the year? a. 4-5 times a week b. Once a month c. 2-3 times a year d. First time Question 5: Why did you come to the market? a. To visit the Temple/church/ Gurudwara b. To buy something c. To eat something d. To experience the street Question 6: Do you think private vehicles should be allowed on this street? Question 7: Would you go to the market alone? Why? Social Interaction Question 8: Is the street chaotic and inaccessible during peak hours? If yes, what do you think is the main cause for that? Question 9: Is there a clearly defined footpath on this street? a. Yes b. No c. Parts of it Question 10: Which is your preferred time to come here? a. 6 am to 10 am 52

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b. 10 am- 2 pm c. 2 pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 pm d. 6 pm- 10 pm Question 11: Did you like your experience while interacting with other people on the street? a. Yes b. No c. Maybe Question 12: What is the biggest concern for this street? a. Encroachment of the road by hawkers b. Mixed flow of traffic c. On street parking d. Noise pollution e. Crime Question 13: Would you come back to this street? Why?

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7.1.2 SURVEY SITE: INNER CIRCLE, CONNAUGHT PLACE STAKEHOLDER 1: VISITORS/BUYERS The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose.

Preliminary information

No. 1

Name:

Gender:

Age:

Profession:

Nationality:

Address:

Question 1: How far is the Connaught Place from where you live? a. 1-5 km (from their hotel) b. 5-10 km c. 10-15 km d. More than 15 km Question 2: How did you travel to get to Connaught Place? a. Public transport b. Private Access and movement Pattern Question 3: Was it difficult to reach Connaught Place? a. Yes b. Not all c. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t easy, but not difficult either Question 4: How often do you go to here and how has it changed over the years? 54

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a. 4-5 times a week b. Once a month c. 2-3 times a year d. First time Question 5: Why did you come to Connaught Place? a. Shopping b. Food c. Work d. Experience/leisure Question 6: Do you think private vehicles should be allowed in the inner circle? Question 7: Would you go to the market alone? Why? Social Interaction Question 8: Is the street chaotic and inaccessible during peak hours? If yes, what do you think is the main cause for that? Question 9: Is there a clearly defined footpath on this street? a. Yes b. No c. Parts of it Question 10: Which is your preferred time to come here? a. 6 am to 10 am b. 10 am- 2 pm c. 2 pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 pm 55

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d. 6 pm- 10 pm Question 11: Did you like your experience while interacting with other people on the street? a. Yes b. No c. Maybe Question 12: What is the biggest concern for this street? a. Encroachment of the inner circle by hawkers b. Mixed flow of traffic c. Inadequate parking d. Air pollution e. Crime Question 13: Would you come back to this street? Why?

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7.2.1 INTERVIEW SITE: SHAHJAHANABAD STAKEHOLDER 1: SELLERS The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose. Preliminary information Name: Manu Gupta Age: 46

No. 1 Gender: male Profession: Jewelry shop owner

Question 1: How many years have you been working here for? Do you live nearby? How do you think the market changed over time? Have new buildings come up in this area? My shop has been here for over 60 years, but I started working here only 12 years ago. Before that my cousin used to handle the shop. I live in Rohini. The only main change is that people are leaving Chandi Chowk. No one wants to say here, and I am not sure why. No, new buildings. Question 2: What do you sell? What are your timings? Do you find it difficult to transport goods to your shop? I sell all items related to artificial jewelry. Right now, during festival time I am also selling diyas and other Diwali related products but otherwise I focus on womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s accessories. Our timings are 10 am- 8 pm. No, we bring our good whenever required and its usually very easy, since we are used to the hustle-bustle of Chadni chowk. Question 3: What are the consequences of having a shop on the main street? More sales definitely. Sometimes, people are walking towards the inner streets and they find what they are looking for in my shop, so it saves them time and energy. So I would say, unplanned buyers are higher in our shops, over and above the regular retailers that come to us.

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Access and movement Pattern Question 4: How is the main street divided with respect to the zoning of spaces? Do you feel like your shop could do better if it was in some other part of the street? There is no real division. People have had shops for years and it’s continued like that. The inner streets are more divided on the basis of the product but the main street has everything- clothes, jewelry and food. No, I like the placement of my shop. It’s really all the same at the end of the day. Question 5: It has been stated that Chandi Chowk is a ‘pedestrian-unfriendly zone’. Do you think that the vehicular movement can be improved in some way? I don’t think so. Banning cars will heavily affect the shop owners because if customers don’t come, who will we sell to? Social Interaction Question 6: On an average, out of the total footfall on the street, how many people enter your shop? Do people also just assemble in front of your shop? About 40% enter my shop. Lot of people assemble in front as well. Question 7: Is there a footpath in front of your shop, suitable for the footfall of Chandi Chowk? There is not defined footpath as such but there is a shaded walkway which is about 2m wide in front of most shops. Question 8: Do you like working on this street? Do you trust your neighboring shop owners? Yes definitely. I have grown up in these streets. Everyone is like family and most of the shops around mine are some close relatives only.

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Question 9: Do you have any informal agreements with between shop owners and rickshaw walas to increase sale of goods? No that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work in Chandi Chowk. There are way too many autorickshaw walas to strike any deals with them. Safety and other considerations Question 10: Is there a regular supply of daily needs like electricity and water? Do they streets have adequate artificial light after sunset? Yes. Street lighting is a problem sometimes. Question 11: Do you think this street is safe for people, especially women? Have crimes increased over the years? Yes, it is extremely safe. My own wife sits at our other shop in the inner streets and takes care of it on her own. Question12: If you could change one thing here, what would it be? Nothing.

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Preliminary information

No. 2

Name: Neetan

Gender: male

Age: 26

Profession: Worker at designer fabric shop

Question 1: How many years have you been working here for? Do you live nearby? How do you think the market changed over time? Have new buildings come up in this area? I have been working here for 5 years. I live in Baghbat, it is a one hour train journey from here. I commute everyday. No change in the last 5 years in the market really. Question 2: What do you sell? What are your timings? Do you find it difficult to transport goods to your shop? We sell all kinds of fabric ranging from Rs.120/meter to Rs.1800/meter. We also sell all accessories related to suits/sarees like buttons, borders, dupattas and blouses. Since it is a wholesale shop, we get a lot more customers during wedding season. Our timings are 11am-9 pm. Most of the unloading takes places during the morning time, once in 10 days. Question 3: What are the consequences of having a shop on the main street? There is no real advantage in a market like Chandi Chowk because most people who come here regularly are fully aware of how the market functions and have their known shops they usually buy from. But one advantage could be that since we are on the main street, we are more commercial that way. Access and movement Pattern Question 4: How is the main street divided with respect to the zoning of spaces? Do you feel like your shop could do better if it was in some other part of the street? The street has all kinds of shops. A large percentage of the main streets is occupied by the hawkers. A lot of shops keep their employees on the main street to attract customers to their shops. There is no advantage or disadvantage here. 60

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Question 5: It has been stated that Chandi Chowk is a ‘pedestrian-unfriendly zone’. Do you think that the vehicular movement can be improved in some way? It is a good thing that so many people come to Chandi Chowk because our sales increase. But if that brings a little bit of disorder with it, we are fine with that. Social Interaction Question 6: On an average, out of the total footfall on the street, how many people enter your shop? Do people also just assemble in front of your shop? About 75% of people enter our shop. Question 7: Is there a footpath in front of your shop, suitable for the footfall of Chandi Chowk? No, it’s a ‘kaccha’ walkway, which is filled with dirt. Question 8: Do you like working on this street? Do you trust your neighboring shop owners? Yes, definitely. Question 9: Do you have any informal agreements with between shop owners and rickshaw walas to increase sale of goods? I haven’t heard of any such thing in all the years I’ve worked her. Safety and other considerations Question 10: Is there a regular supply of daily needs like electricity and water? Do they streets have adequate artificial light after sunset? Yes, all of the above. Question 11: 61

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Do you think this street is safe for people, especially women? Have crimes increased over the years? Yes, crime has increased over the years so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it is safe for everyone, especially women. Question12: If you could change one thing here, what would it be? Fix the loose electrical wires and footpaths so it is, at least, safe to walk.

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Preliminary information Name: Tejpal Varma Age: 66

No. 3 Gender: male Profession: Silver jewelry shop owner

Question 1: How many years have you been working here for? Do you live nearby? How do you think the market changed over time? Have new buildings come up in this area? Over 30 years. This is my shop and before that, it was my fathers. I live 10 minutes away. The market is just getting worse. India may be developing but Chandi Chowk sure isn’t. With ever increasing number of vehicular population, finding parking slots is an unsettling task, which eventually leads people to park their vehicles on open roads. Question 2: What do you sell? What are your timings? Do you find it difficult to transport goods to your shop? We sell jewelry at wholesale rate. We supply to over 30 retailers, all the way in Gurgaon and Noida also. Our timings are 10am-8pm. Since we are on the main street, it’s not very difficult to transport goods. Question 3: What are the consequences of having a shop on the main street? It’s only good, customers are more and our sales are more. Access and movement Pattern Question 4: How is the main street divided with respect to the zoning of spaces? Do you feel like your shop could do better if it was in some other part of the street? All of Chandi Chowk is crowded and congested and that’s what makes it Chandi Chowk. You have mostly clothes shops on the main street with famous food shops like jalebi wala at the beginning of the inner streets making it famous for that. Similarly, you have an inner ‘gali’, named after ‘parathe’ shops. Question 5: 63

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It has been stated that Chandi Chowk is a ‘pedestrian-unfriendly zone’. Do you think that the vehicular movement can be improved in some way? A lot can be done. Many authorizing bodies have been trying to work out something for the betterment of Chandi Chowk but it’s all talk. I’ve seen Chandi Chowk grow when I was younger and now it is just deteriorating. If nothing is done soon enough, there won’t be a Chandi Chowk to save. Social Interaction Question 6: On an average, out of the total footfall on the street, how many people enter your shop? Do people also just assemble in front of your shop? About 70% of the people enter our shop. We are very famous in the Chandi Chowk, with regular customers from all over Delhi. Question 7: Is there a footpath in front of your shop, suitable for the footfall of Chandi Chowk? There used to be one I think. Question 8: Do you like working on this street? Do you trust your neighboring shop owners? Yes definitely. Everyone is family and everybody respects me here. Question 9: Do you have any informal agreements with between shop owners and rickshaw walas to increase sale of goods? No, there is no need. There are enough customers for everyone. Safety and other considerations Question 10: Is there a regular supply of daily needs like electricity and water? Do the streets have adequate artificial light after sunset? Yes, but street lighting is a problem sometimes. 64

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Question 11: Do you think this street is safe for people, especially women? Have crimes increased over the years? They were definitely safer in my time. I would not let my grand-daughter come here after sunset on her own. Question12: If you could change one thing here, what would it be? Go back 30 years and bring the old Chandi Chowk back.

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Preliminary information Name: Amit Sharma Age: 40

No. 4 Gender: male Profession: Parathe shop owner

Question 1: How many years have you been working here for? Do you live nearby? How do you think the market changed over time? Have new buildings come up in this area? The shop has been here since 1889. I am the 7th generation. My sister and I look after the shop together. The metro came up in 2004, before which the market sales has really gone down. But the population that comes here on a daily basis has significantly increased since in the last 12-13 years largely because of the connectivity. Question 2: What do you sell? What are your timings? Do you find it difficult to transport goods to your shop? We sell all kinds of parathas. The gali that starts from our shop is named after us. We work from 9 am to 11 pm every day. Question 3: What are the consequences of having a shop on the main street? We have enough people that identify with our shop which has probably happened because of our shop’s history as well as location. But as of today, it doesn’t matter. It’s all the same. Access and movement Pattern Question 4: How is the main street divided with respect to the zoning of spaces? Do you feel like your shop could do better if it was in some other part of the street? There is no real division. People have had shops for years and it’s continued like that. The inner streets are more divided on the basis of the product but the main street has everything- clothes, jewelry and food. No, I like the placement of my shop. It’s really all the same at the end of the day. Question 5: 66

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It has been stated that Chandi Chowk is a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pedestrian-unfriendly zoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Do you think that the vehicular movement can be improved in some way? Yes by decreasing the auto rickshaws. There are over 1000 of them. Simply by decreasing them, there will be a huge change in the vehicular movement. Social Interaction Question 6: On an average, out of the total footfall on the street, how many people enter your shop? Do people also just assemble in front of your shop? About 70% enter my shop. During lunch timing, we have huge lines formed outside with people patiently waiting to get a table. Question 7: Is there a footpath in front of your shop, suitable for the footfall of Chandi Chowk? It is what it is, you can call it a footpath if you want. Question 8: Do you like working on this street? Do you trust your neighboring shop owners? My entire family works here. All the surrounding shops are handled by my 4 brothers. So of course I love it. Question 9: Do you have any informal agreements with between shop owners and rickshaw walas to increase sale of goods? No. Safety and other considerations Question 10: Is there a regular supply of daily needs like electricity and water? Do they streets have adequate artificial light after sunset? Yes. Question 11: 67

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Do you think this street is safe for people, especially women? Have crimes increased over the years? Yes of course. In Chandi Chowk everything happens in front of your eyes. If a woman is mistreated, she can create a scene and everyone gets involved. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better that way, because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not alone. Question12: If you could change one thing here, what would it be? Nothing really.

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Preliminary information Name: Naval Lal Age: 24

No. 5 Gender: male Profession: Waiter at Haldiram

Question 1: How many years have you been working here for? Do you live nearby? How do you think the market changed over time? Have new buildings come up in this area? I’ve been working here for 3 years now. Yes, I live 10 minutes away. I came to Delhi 4 years ago, to get a good job in a big city. The market hasn’t changed since I’ve been working here. Question 2: What do you sell? What are your timings? Do you find it difficult to transport goods to your shop? We sell all kinds of Indian sweets along with other snacks. Haldiram is extremely famous in Chandi Chowk and everyone comes to have a bite here. Question 3: What are the consequences of having a shop on the main street? It becomes overcrowded during peak time. Access and movement Pattern Question 4: How is the main street divided with respect to the zoning of spaces? Do you feel like your shop could do better if it was in some other part of the street? It’s mostly wholesale shops and lots of hawkers. We are one of the biggest eating joints on that street. I think it’s the perfect location. Question 5: It has been stated that Chandi Chowk is a ‘pedestrian-unfriendly zone’. Do you think that the vehicular movement can be improved in some way? Yes, by removing cars. 69

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Social Interaction Question 6: On an average, out of the total footfall on the street, how many people enter your shop? Do people also just assemble in front of your shop? It depends on the time and day. During lunch hours on a weekend, it is impossible to find a table. Similarly lunch on weekdays is almost as congested. Question 7: Is there a footpath in front of your shop, suitable for the footfall of Chandi Chowk? Yes. Question 8: Do you like working on this street? Do you trust your neighboring shop owners? Yes, it’s not bad. I’ve made a lot of friend around this area. I also go visit the church very often. Question 9: Do you have any informal agreements with between shop owners and rickshaw walas to increase sale of goods? No, we don’t need to. We have enough customers. Safety and other considerations Question 10: Is there a regular supply of daily needs like electricity and water? Do they streets have adequate artificial light after sunset? Yes. Question 11: Do you think this street is safe for people, especially women? Have crimes increased over the years? I think so.

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7.2.2 INTERVIEW SITE: CONNAUGHT PLACE, NEW DELHI STAKEHOLDER 1: SELLERS The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose. Preliminary information

No. 1

Name: Rohit

Gender: Male

Age: 36

Profession: Manager at Starbucks

Question 1: How many years have you been working here for? Do you live nearby? How do you think the market changed over time? Have new buildings come up in this area? I have been working with Starbucks for 4 years now, but I recently got transferred to this location; earlier I was working in Gurgaon. Question 2: What are your timings? Do you find it difficult to transport goods to your shop? Our timings are 11 am to 11 pm. Not at all, it happens every morning. Question 3: What are the consequences of having a shop in the inner circle? I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extremely beneficial since most people come here after they are done shopping or finishing their work. A lot of people working around Connaught Place also come regularly. Access and movement Pattern Question 4: How is the main inner circle divided with respect to the zoning of spaces? Do you feel like your shop could do better if it was in some other part of Connaught Place? No, I think inner circle is extremely active all throughout the day, because of the wide range of shops both high end and informal like hawkers, Palika Bazaar and Janpath market. Therefore, our cafĂŠ gets enough footfall. 71

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Question 5: It has been stated that Connaught Place is going to become a ‘pedestrian-only zone’. Do you think that will help? Yes. Like I said, because of the wide range of shops and restaurants, people are always coming to Connaught Place therefore there is a lot of traffic on the inner circle during certain times of the day. Also, Connaught Place is very open and green with the central park but cars are continuously polluting the area and that needs to be looked into. Social Interaction Question 6: On an average, out of the total footfall on the street, how many people enter your shop? I would say 35-45%

Question 7: Is there a footpath in front of your shop, suitable for the footfall of Connaught Place? Yes, of course. The footpath is quite wide, part of which is shaded and major part which isn’t. The unshaded part has seating arrangements for people who want to rest, which I think it great. Question 8: Do you like working on this here? Do you trust your neighboring shop owners? It’s only been a few months for me, but yes I like it. Everything seems close-by and within my reach. Question 9: Do you have any informal agreements with the auto walas to increase sale of goods? No Safety and other considerations Question 10: Is there a regular supply of daily needs like electricity and water? Do they streets have adequate artificial light after sunset? Yes, absolutely. 72

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Question 11: Do you think this street is safe for people, especially women? Have crimes increased over the years? I think it is safe. Question12: If you could change one thing here, what would it be? The traffic management.

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The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose. Preliminary information Name: Samarth Age: 28

No. 2 Gender: Male Profession: Paan Shop owner

Question 1: How many years have you been working here for? Do you live nearby? How do you think the market changed over time? I have been working here for 10 years now. I came here with my father when I was 18. It definitely has a lot more shops and restaurants now. Now many people know our shop so we have quite a few regular customers. Question 2: What are your timings? Do you find it difficult to transport goods to your shop? Our timings are 7 am to 10 pm, but it varies sometimes depending on our customers. Question 3: What are the consequences of having a shop in the inner circle? It’s really nice to be here. Everything that happens in the market, significant or not happens right in front of us. Also, everything is so open and green, I love it here. Access and movement Pattern Question 4: How is the main inner circle divided with respect to the zoning of spaces? Do you feel like your shop could do better if it was in some other part of Connaught Place? The good part about our shop is that we can shift if we feel like. But we haven’t really needed to because we’ve got regular customers coming to us from their offices regularly. But a lot of new places have opened up in Connaught Place, and most of them are the roof top ones. Question 5: It has been stated that Connaught Place is going to become a ‘pedestrian-only zone’. Do you think that will help? 74

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Maximum population coming to my shop doesn’t even own a car, so it won’t make a difference to me. But there are lots of fancy shops/ eateries here which would be affected if cars weren’t allowed. Social Interaction Question 6: On an average, out of the total footfall on the street, how many people enter your shop? I would say 15% Question 7: Is there a footpath in front of your shop, suitable for the footfall of Connaught Place? Yes, there is a sitting area in front also, near the parking lot, under the trees. Its perfect. Question 8: Do you like working on this here? Do you trust your neighboring shop owners? Without a doubt. Question 9: Do you have any informal agreements with the auto walas to increase sale of goods? No, they are just trying to get as many rides as they can in a day and were also trying to sell as much as we can in a day. Safety and other considerations Question 10: Is there a regular supply of daily needs like electricity and water? Do they streets have adequate artificial light after sunset? Yes. Question 11: Do you think this street is safe for people, especially women? Have crimes increased over the years? I don’t know really. 75

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7.2.3 INTERVIEWS STAKEHOLDER 3: ARCHITECT The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose. Preliminary information Name: Aishwarya Tipnis

Gender: Female

About her Urban Conservation Plan for Chandi Chowk Streetscape Question 1: Before we get into the details of the Urban Conservation Plan you closely worked on, I would like to know your perception on the Chandi Chowk street? Chandi Chowk is essentially an organic settlement. It has been a wholesale hub for years and will continue to be, because of its reassuring historical significance. Having a market sense of place, if that is taken away from it, the essence of it all is gone. What makes it different to other markets are its smaller bazaars like Kinari which add to its charm. Question 2: Can you tell us a little bit about the conservation plan that you worked on with Mr. Abhimanyu Dalal? I worked on this project almost 10 years ago, with its conception in 2006. It was an initiative by the Congress government under Kapil Sibal back then. The urban conservation plan was based on the understanding of the street and its significance, analysis of the issues which threaten to undermine or devalue its significance related to traffic, infrastructure, services upgradation and recommends appropriate policies for repairs, restoration, planning new development of the streetscape. Even though a lot of research and effort went into it, it was not implemented and eventually died down. Shahjanabad Redevelopment Corporation has now asked architect Pradeep Sachdeva, who is doing the Jama Masjid redevelopment plan, to take over the project. Question 3: What were the main objectives of this project? Since one of the many issues was traffic, the urban conservation project of Chandi Chowk Streetscape focused on improving the situation by introducing trams and controlling vehicular 76

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traffic etc. This was to be done by replicating old trams and slow-moving heritage trams on single tracks. Another important objective involved moving all services like fire hydrants, water pipes, cables service, transformers underground which would be accessible through a tunnel which would help prevent theft, prevent redundancy and make maintenance easier. Access and movement Pattern Question 4: What do you think are the other major issues on this street? I feel like besides traffic management, other main issues on this street are: 1. Disaster Management One of the major problems was the heavy wiring around Chandi Chowk, which needed to be looked into. It is a threat and needs to be controlled before itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too late. 2. Access of Emergency vehicles Because of the chaos and congestion on the street, access of emergency vehicles in case of a fire or any other hazard, was posing to be a threat which was looked into. 3. Encroachment of road by the hawkers If you visit the street at 7 am, you will be able to observe the entire width of the road which itself is quite wide, but because of the activities taking place throughout the day, the road is not able to serve its complete purpose. Even the walkways in front of the shops are in a deplorable state. Question 5: It has been stated that Chandi Chowk is a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pedestrian-unfriendly zoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Do you think that the vehicular movement can be improved in some way? I do believe that traffic is definitely an issue, but removing cars altogether on that street is not the solution. It is not practical because a lot of visitors come for reasons like wedding shopping and buying products in bulk for retail. Therefore, the transportation of goods from the shop to the cars/delivery vehicle will become cumbersome. But yes, through the conservation project, we did try to propose transport systems which focused on segregating pedestrianized parts of the street with motor vehicular circulation (one way and two way) along with the tram and metro systems to facilitate the experience at Chandi Chowk. Social Interaction 77

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Question 6: What do you think makes people return to Chandi Chowk consistently? Spatially Chandi Chowk has what it needs. The entire street is part of an experience and many people specially come for that. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not that other markets do not exist, we have Lajpat nagar, Dilli Haat and other similar markets but what really makes it unique is its historical significance. Even today, with the presence of malls, 90% of the people only go there because of its air conditioning, irrespective of whether they have anything to buy or not. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why, in my opinion, Chandi Chowk market should continue to stay raw and true to its identity. Having said that, I do feel like the sense of discipline is lacking which directly affects the traffic situation and walkability of the space. It also does not have any fire hazards but some could argue that it is part of the experience.

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7.2.4 INTERVIEWS STAKEHOLDER 3: GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose. Preliminary information Name: Manoj Singh

Gender: Male

Age: 45

Profession: Part of the (Transport) Planning Commission

Question 1: How do you think Connaught Place has evolved over the years? It is a mixed-use space with all kinds of functions: hospitals, commercial, residential and offices. It now has over 170 restaurants which were around 70 years ago. So, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no stopping this market, it is expanding and serving various purposes in one place, which works out well for everyone. Question 2: Who do you think has a larger say in the policies and procedures made for Connaught Place? As part of the Planning Commission, I would say policies are made with respect to all stakeholders which provide maximum benefits to all. Unless a trial is done, one cannot know the issues in detail. Having said that, I feel like the sellers/shop owners have the highest power. Question 3: Why do you feel that? See for example, if you look at the car free zone issue which has been floating around for a while now, and no implementation has been done. The shop owners/sellers are definitely against it because they feel like they will lose their clientele. But what needs to be considered is the direct connection by metro and buses. This process of coming to a consensus cannot be one sided and needs to cater to the needs of the buyers/officer goers as well, which I feel like is being overlooked. Question 4: What do you think about the parking prices that have been rumored to increase in Connaught Place? 79

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It is all being done to discourage bringing your own car to Connaught Place. The truth is people are going to come anyway, but the way of commuting needs to be changed so that people who have no option but to come by car, are the only ones stuck on the road. So by increasing the parking prices, the government is decrease the incentive in bringing your own car. Question 5: Can you tell us a little bit about Chandi Chowk’s Transport Management? Chandi Chowk has also been under scrutiny for a while now. The level of chaos there, is also very important to understand and find solutions too. The problem with our government is that it has been too many stakeholders and so no agreement is reached. If we had a stronger will, things would have been a lot different. These markets could have been more organized and systematic in their approach. Question 6: What are your views on Abhimanyu Dalal’s Redevelopment Plan which could not be implemented? I think what it lacked was the support from the Government. The introduction of trams would have been good for the environment since it would have been pollution free but I don’t think there was enough infrastructural growth for this to take place. Even the pedestrianizing was a good approach and would have solved a lot of problems in Old Delhi. Question 7: It has been stated that Chandi Chowk is a ‘pedestrian-unfriendly zone’. Do you think that the vehicular movement can be improved in some way? Again, like I mentioned earlier, the main problem lies in the implementation. I am not quite convinced how pedestrianizing would benefit people in Chandi Chowk as it is a whole sale market and a lot of goods need to be transported in bulk but definitely changes have to be made in terms of traffic management. One of the problems is that since the head of the planning commission keeps changing every few years, therefore there is no continuity and definitely no structure in the process. If there was a group of concentrated people working towards these solutions, a lot could have been resolved by now. Question 8: Do you have any solutions for both Chandi Chowk and Connaught Place in terms of its traffic situation? 80

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I truly feel that pedestrianizing at least a part, should be considered very seriously. There could be ola/uber/shuttle bus stands at that point where people could be picked and dropped, and obviously the frequency of these cabs or even buses could be higher. These public stops could have parkingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so that people can drop their cars and take only the shuttle servives to reach the market. Also, e-rickshaws could be encouraged so that people start depending on public transport more.

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7.3.5 INTERVIEWS STAKEHOLDER 3: ARCHITECT The responses will be used strictly for academic purpose. Preliminary information Name: Rajeev Sood

Gender: Male

Question 1: In your view, how has CP evolved over the years and do you think it is still the preferred destination for retailers, businesses and shoppers/visitors? Connaught Place has definitely evolved a lot over the last 10-15 years. Earlier it was primarily known as the business hub since majority of the area had offices only. Also around 35-40% was residential. Over the last couple of years what has happened is, most people have moved out. This is because of the unsystematic metro and tunnel construction, which was happening at the same time. The inconvenience caused and the hardships faced by people was far more than the benefits. Now Connaught Place is completely commercial and retail, also known as a heritage market, so yes it is definitely a preferred destination for all kinds of people. Question 2: What are the key challenges NDMC in currently facing in Connaught Place? Two main challenges faced by us right now are: 1. Traffic Traffic is a public concern and I think everyone is aware of its importance level. Connaught Place has, consciously or unconsciously become a by-pass for people travelling from North delhi to outer circle, causing huge traffic jams during the peak hours. 1. Parking Parking is also another major issue, because that inevitably also causes congestion and traffic. The people visiting Connaught Place need to understand the capacity of the parking lots around the inner circle and abide by the rules. Over parking is not a major problem which needs to be taken seriously. To solve this, we have given alternate parking areas within a couple of metres around Connaught Place, but people are not willing to use it because it is slightly far away and requires them to walk a little bit. Question 3: 82

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Will the Inner circle ever be made a 'car free zoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;? That was the plan designed by me, but a lot of authorities and stakeholders are involved in the process which slows it down. Moreover, the general public, like the visitors and shop keepers need to understand the need of the hour and work harmoniously with the Government. The original plan involved making the inner circle car free and the middle circle one way. But we received so much opposition from the shop keepers, that it could not be implemented. Since the sellers were united and petitioned together, it was very difficult to go against them. We also considered making it a cab zone, but even that did not work out. Question 4: What are your future plans w.r.t Connaught Place; have you planned any further interventions and if yes how would they be beneficial? Yes; we have a couple of parking projects, some of which are already operational and some proposed. There is already a parking space assigned in the inner circle near Palika Bazaar which can handle around 1500 cars. We have two more coming, which are new; one on Barakhamba Road and one on Baba Kharakh Singh Maarg. Each have around 2000 parking spots. They were created with the intention of making inner circle car free, so that these parking spaces could act as linking points for people going and coming to Connaught Place. It was brought to our notice that hardly anybody was using these parking lots as it required people to walk 400m to get to the main market area. So to make the journey even simple and hassle free, we proposed a shuttle service which would take people to and fro, thereby also reducing the traffic in the inner circle. Another problem-of over parking was discussed in detail. The solution we came up with was Censor based parking, so that it was all regulated. In the other parkings, the people incharge of the parking take in extra cars to make more money, so censor based could avoid that completely. But because it is a new technology in India, and we are still developing as a country, not many vendors came up, so the tender failed. Question 5: How can the general public participate and have a voice in the urban redevelopment initiatives that are being taken by the NDMC for this region? It is very simple- all stakeholders need to understand the issues of the area and work collectively to solve them. For example, the general public has its own reasons about not making the Inner Circle pedestrian only and similarly, so do the shop-keepers. Until the mindset changes, any initiative taken by NDMC, will not be successful. Honestly, I do not think the mindset can be changed, so it has to be enforced forcefully. Connaught Place needs to be handled with 83

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sensitivity and at the end of the day, the market will suffer if the regulation isn't done. If you want to change the very basics of the market, all stakeholders need to take charge together. Question 6: How can we make Connaught Place more safe for women thereby improving footfalls even during late hours? I think Connaught Place is pretty safe for women. There are always so many vehicles around, so no one is ever alone. The street lighting is good and there are CCTVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all around. Over and above that, a large number of policemen are always around. Also the safety of Connaught Place is also managed by a civil society organisation called Safetipin. It helps provide a number of technology solutions to make our cities safer for women and others. One thing which I can probably think of, which isn't just for women, but for the public in general is the lack of enough signboards. Question 7: Do you think the street furniture in the Inner circle needs encourages informal interactions? I personally do not think the street furniture is very good in Connaught Place. What happens is, because all the semi open seating areas are around planters, most people end up littering after they've eaten, into these planters, invariably adding dirt and filth and killing the plants. This kind of street furniture is very apt for western countries where people understand the importance of such spaces. We cannot import furniture from abroad because we are just not developed enough. For example, at some places, the pavement is made almost 1 metre above road level to prevent people from taking the vehicles over it. Question 8: Do you see any fire or other hazards in this zone and what's the mitigation plan? Do you have a Disaster Management plan drawn for this zone? If you study Connaught Place now, you will notice that most of the restaurants are now on the higher levels, mostly roof top. I think a part of the reason for this is the crowd- it has changed. The restaurants are also of a different type now. That is also fine but the problem arises when Disaster Management comes in play. Most of these restaurants declare their capacity as less than 48, which is the maximum number for which you do not need to provide more than one staircase. But the actual fact is that most, if not all, have a capacity of much higher. Last to last year, I tried changing the capacity laws according to National Building Code, but the conversion charges are 84

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so high that nobody wants to make the effort. But the restaurant owners also need to understand that they are risking the lives of visitors and themselves in the process of making extra money. Question 9: How do you plan to curb the menace of unwanted/illegal construction or activities that happen in Connaught Place? There is a lot of unethical construction that is taking place, but now it has been stopped. No new construction is allowed which will soon impact the space. But if people were to follow the right procedure in the first place, it would be beneficial to them in the long run and save us from any disasters later. Also because the rental is so high, nobody wants to keep their piece of land/area vacant for too long since its a loss of money for them. Having said that, it needs to be done ethically. Another reason as to why the renovation needs to be well designed and thought of is because all the buildings in Connaught Place are load bearing, so walls cant just be broken down. Question 10: What's your strategy to accommodate hawkers and other roadside vendors who have been an integral part of the 'CP experience' over the years? Hawkers have never really been a part. they have always just come and stayed because they are supported by the courts. Some of them have real licenses and some have illegal. It is impossible to go to each and every one of them, most of which happen to have the same name with all the photocopied documents, and check their credibility. The harsh truth is that corruption is a very integral part of our system and until that is there, these problems will continue to exist. Technically a vendor is any person which does not have a fixed shop and needs a minimum of 5ft by 5ft of space to display his good and sell them. To answer your question, a part of the vending can be integrated in a regulated manner. But at the current rate, with the vendors multiplying, it is impossible to provide such a large area for them. They also need to abide by some policies laid out for the betterment of the market and its people. Question 11: What were the key benefits achieved through Raahgiri and how was it successful in it's mission of bringing people together which is otherwise overflowing with vehicles throughout the week? I think Connaught Place has reached it highest level of attraction. Anybody and everybody comes to the place, for various reasons. Being a multi function space, Raahgiri helped bring all kinds of people together. But now I feel like Raahgiri has become another â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;status symbolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 85

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concept for all the people attending it. The aim was to get ordinary folks to experience it and to give them a chance to come together and reclaim their city, but recently it has become about its celebrities, which has made it lose its essence. If the metro crowd was to take over, I would say, Raahgiri would be serving its purpose but that is not the case. If you look at India Gate, you would never see celebrities go there anymore, even the ones who used to earlier because the crowd that goes there now is of an average indian man. Question 12: Do you think Janpath and Palika Bazaar are an essential part of Connaught Place? Janpath and Palika Bazaar are mostly visited by 2 groups of people- foreigners and students. I don't think anybody else goes to Connaught Place specially visit them specially. Infant the Janpath road is part of the masterplan and the flea market was supposed to be removed 30 years ago, but no action has been taken. It is situated on the right of way. So I am not sure how significant it really is to Connaught Placeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identity, besides the fact that it has existed for years.

Question 13: Do you think Connaught Place has the potential to remain as one of the finest marketplaces in India? Definitely. The scale of Connaught Place is very high. When the car free proposal was being designed, a lot of interesting ideas were included in the pedestrianisation like green spaces, kiosks, some sort of stage for live performances and moon lighting but because it never got enforced, the visitors could not understand the potential of the market space. Convincing the people is a difficult task. Maybe 10 years ago, only 100 people needed to get convened which was unsuccessful for whatever reasons. Now if we were to start the same process again, we would probably need to convince 10 times the people. 10 years from now, maybe 100 times the people will be needed to convince, so the public keeps expanding and their opinions keeps changing. Even the shop owners need to take responsibility for their actions. Most of them dump their garbage/litter into the sever, causing huge problems. So unless we all work together to make this market what it ought to be, it will not reach its full potential.

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7.5 Existing ROWs of Chandni Chowk

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BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Ajit Singh, 2006, Confrontation, Compromise and Reconstruction of The Walled City of Shahjahanabad, Masters Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture. 2. Amber N. Wiley, 2015, “Northern India: The Golden Triangle, SAH Blog, blog post, Available from: http://www.sah.org/publications-and-research/sah-blog/sahblog/2015/04/08/northern-india-the-golden-triangle ( 20th September, 2017) 3. Calum W. White, 2016, Book Review: Suburban Urbanities: Suburbs and the Life of the High Street edited by Laura Vaughan, blog post, 6th April, Available from: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsereviewofbooks/2016/04/06/book-review-suburban-urbanitiessuburbs-and-the-life-of-the-high-street-edited-by-laura-vaughan/ 4. Camila De Simas, 2017, ‘Streets as Storytellers: Defining Places and Connecting People’ Available from: https://www.callisonrtkl.com/you-are-here/streets-as-storytellers-definingplaces-and connecting-people/ 5. Jacobs, J. 1961 The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Vintage Books, New York 6. Michael Bond, 2017, The hidden ways in which architecture affects how you feel, BBC, 6th June, Available from: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170605-the-psychologybehind-your-citys-design?ocid=ww.social.link.linkedin 7. Parvez Sultan, 2016, ‘Orders and plans but no action to clear Chandni Chowk chaos’, 1 April, Hindustan Times, Available from: http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhinews/orders-and-plans-but-no-action-to-clear-chandni-chowk-chaos/story8lJCKRRu4AYoWxonAxkSSJ.html (1st October, 2017) 8. Ray Bromley, 2016, The Streets of Old Delhi: Order in a Seemingly-Chaotic Public Realm, Available from: https://www.mei.edu/content/map/streets-old-delhi-orderseemingly-chaotic-public-realm 9. Stephen P. Blake, 1997, Shahjahanabad: The Sovereighn City in Mughal India, 16391739, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1991 10. Swapna Liddle, 2017, Chandni Chowk: The Mughal City of Old Delhi, Speaking Tiger, Delhi. 11. Archinomy homepage, Changing Image of Lutyens Delhi, Available from: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi (20th September, 2017)

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12. Venetin Aghostin-Sangar, 2007, Human Behaviour in Public Spaces, Faculty of the Built Environment, University of New South Wales, Available from: https://www.be.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/upload/pdf/schools_and_engagem ent/resources/_notes/5A2_1.pdf 13. India Habitat Centre, About IHC homepage, April 2016, Available from: https://indiahabitat.org/themes/ihc/img/gallery/12724/12724.pdf (5th September 2017) 14. Architecture Of Delhi, The background till independence, Available from: http://delhiarchitecture.weebly.com/background.html 15. http://vigeyegpms.in/cvc/documents/Audit%20Report/Renovation.pdf 16. http://www.jtc.sala.ubc.ca/reports/manual_for_streets/2%20what%20are%20streets%20fo r.pdf 17. https://archnet.org/system/publications/contents/3253/original/DPC0809.pdf?138 4774041 18. Abhimanyu Dalal, 2010, Chandni Chowk Redevelpoment Plan, UTTIPEC Presentation, Available from: http://uttipec.nic.in/writereaddata/discussionimages/1063070614.pdf 19. Chapter 8, Renovation and Restoration of Connaught Place, Performance Audit Report on XIX Commonwealth Games 2010, (GNCT, Delhi)

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