The Hindu Business Line : Janpath: Oxford Street in the making

According to a grand plan formulated by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (Hudco), Janpath, the favourite tourist haunt in the heart of the Capital's busy commercial district, can be converted into a microcosm of India for tourists and a late evening leisure destination for the Capital's denizens.

All that is needed is to close the 1.5-km stretch of Janpath from the Outer Circle of Connaught Place to Windsor Place for vehicular traffic, convert the existing line of shops into a proper shopping colonnade and develop alternative roads for the hotels that fall on the street.

The historic Eastern and Western Courts can be converted into a museum and art gallery with a cultural hub in the space between the two buildings. Currently, the Western Court serves as a transit hostel for Members of Parliament and the Eastern Court houses a post office and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) offices.

Besides, a high-rise commercial hub is proposed around Windsor Place, incorporating two existing five star hotels — Le Meridien and Kanishka (now Shangrila) in the hub. The hub would have facilities such as shopping malls, multiplexes, restaurants, fast-food joints and offices.

The area can be connected to the adjacent Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Parliament Street with a new under-pass road along with the existing Tolstoy Marg. The area is also close to the Delhi Metro passing along Barakhamba Road, another radial street out of Connaught Place.

"The idea is to restore Connaught Place to its former glory as a market with historical importance and creating an area that would represent India to the foreigners. Janpath, with its location and position as a popular tourist spot, is best suited for such a transformation," says Dr P.S. Rana, Chairman and Managing Director, Hudco.

He said that the plan was ready and would soon be forwarded to the Union Urban Development Ministry for the Government's consideration. The cost of the upgrade is yet to be worked out, but Dr Rana says that it can be easily recovered from the commercialisation of the area.

The Hudco chief admitted that the plan could be executed only if there was a strong political will and the existing property owners of the area were willing to co-operate. "We can convince them about the plan as it would ultimately lead to a better realisation from their property," he said.