THE entire area with colonnaded buildings housing many shops, restaurants, banks and airline offices is situated near to New Delhi railway station. Connaught Place - the one-end of Janpath is named after the Duke of Connaught, a member of the British royal family. The Connaught Place market was designed by Robert Tor Russell in collaboration with W.H. Nicholls. A sprawling circular market, it was once the largest of its kind in India. This is one of Delhi's most popular shopping centres. Built as early as 1931, there is nothing that one cannot buy here and it also has several eating-houses.

THE need for a hub that can act as a landmark of activity and leisure catering to a population that is on the move as well as the local residents of Delhi is felt more acutely as urbanisation eats into the living routine of the populace. To give this aspect a breath of rejuvenating fresh air, the concept of Janpath redefined is very much in the wanted list for a city. This place remains very popular with Dilliwalas since British times. Delhi offers very little for the inhabitants or the visitor to chill out at the end of a hard day’s work. With the advent of the corridors of transport being redefined by the emerging Metro network and the existing road network, a scheme that can reshape the life-style and revive the much-fatigued populace is very much required.

In short, the activities should create a facility for any individual wanting to spend some time in this area. The redevelopment should attract the average to the international visitor to a landmark point which should be both a visual and happening place catering to public from all walks of life with the varied interests.

Janpath, a linear commercial spine, has become an extension of central business district (CBD). Connaught Place offers visitors diverse facilities like hotels to suit various income groups, formal and informal shopping for accessories, garments, handicrafts and jewelry and major work place to residents all over Delhi.

Of special interest are the rows of small shops along Janpath, especially those of Tibetan refugees selling all kinds of curious and oriental objects. This place is a veritable treasure trove for tourists abound with everything related to tourism.

The requirement is to rejuvenate the area to make it dynamic and vibrant from late evening till mid-night otherwise a dead place after office hours.

The area has grown haphazardly and tremendously over the period of time and has resulted in total chaos with small and shed kind of structures coming up everywhere, absence of uniform façade control, ill-maintained buildings, extensive encroachment on pavements and plazas by shop-keepers and informal outlets.

Due to heavy encroachment by shop-keepers the place has inadequate space for pedestrians to move. There are no shaded paths for pedestrians with absence of spaces to sit, eat out, relax and spend time.

The objective is to improve overall shopping and working environment around Janpath without disturbing and interfering with the existing built-up character. Janpath is redeveloped as a major recreational, leisure and cultural node, commencing from Central Avenue, widening at Windsor Place and concluding at outer circle of Connaught Place, bestowing varied experiences to a visitor.

The entire stretch of 1.5 km of Janpath from Windsor Place till outer circle of CP is pedestrianised to keep uninterrupted pedestrian movement and providing broad pedestrian tracks to accommodate visitors at peak hours and on holidays. Pedestrian pathway is widened out at regular intervals offering visitors diverse experiences.

Linear shopping with uniform series of colonnade is proposed along Janpath by giving regular and uniform space to small, shabby and irregular shops.

Existing architecturally uniform series of colonnade of CP is continued to the entire stretch of Janpath forming a complete circle around Windsor Place rendering facade uniformity and providing continuity to the existing and new development.

A high-rise commercial hub is proposed around Windsor island incorporating two existing hotels i.e. Le Meridian and Kanishka in the hub. The hub is multi-storied and will have facilities like shopping malls, multiplexes, restaurants, fast food joints, offices etc. A deck is proposed above the green round about and is connected to buildings located all along the island through radial bridges.

A circular bridge is running all along the island in front of the buildings connecting various facilities and is also connected to central deck giving opportunity to visitors to move around the entire hub without coming down to road level. Continuity in pedestrian and vehicular traffic is maintained at different levels.

A cultural plaza has been proposed between two court buildings. This open space gives opportunity to new and struggling artists from all over country to display and sell their artifacts directly to consumers. This place will attract people who are art lovers and children who want to know in detail about national and international history and culture. All the activities related to art and music i.e. live bands, open-air exhibitions of handicrafts and paintings can be carried out here.

An amusement park for children is being proposed along the Rajendra Prasad Road opposite Indira Gandhi National Centre for Art (IGNCA) to attract children of different age groups which would also act as buffer in between high commercial complex and more silent cultural activity, National Archives etc.

Ashoka and Feroze Shah Roads continue to be vehicular roads having multi-level parking underneath Windsor Place Green Island. Existing Tolstoy Road and one proposed road (as per proposed circulation map) adjacent to Eastern and Western Courts are to be used as underpass to carry through vehicular movement across Janpath. Parking lots are identified next to vehicular movement corridors approaching Janpath and close to various plazas. Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) stations are coming up at Central Park, Patel Chowk and Central Secretariat providing good linkage to commuters from all over Delhi. Green pedestrian corridors are proposed between the MRTS stations and Janpath easing people movement and encouraging the use of MRTS.