Connaught Place encroachment fears have resurfaced among traders after the central Delhi market remained free of unauthorised hawkers, street vendors, beggars and homeless people during the BRICS Summit, prompting calls for the arrangement to continue.
The New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) has appealed to the Lieutenant Governor, Delhi Police and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to preserve the conditions seen during the summit. The association has also approached local MP Bansuri Swaraj and local MLA and Delhi government minister Parvesh Verma, according to a report by Jagran.
Traders and restaurant operators said the transformed appearance of Connaught Place recalled the market’s reputation in the 1980s, when it was known for its cleanliness, grandeur and relatively calm surroundings. The report said foreign visitors attending the summit were able to move through the area, shop and visit local restaurants during the period.
The traders’ concern is that unauthorised vendors could return after the event despite an existing Delhi High Court order declaring Connaught Place a no-hawking and no-vending zone. According to the report, the inner circle had earlier been affected by an estimated 500 to 800 unauthorised street vendors, making pedestrian movement difficult.
An NDTA representative said a return of unauthorised hawking would harm both commercial activity and the market’s infrastructure. The representative also said traders were monitoring the situation and would consider a social-media campaign if the court’s directions were not enforced. The report attributed the remarks to the traders’ association and did not independently establish the allegation of corruption made in the representative’s criticism.
The encroachment dispute is already linked to a contempt-of-court case pending before the Delhi High Court. The report said photographs showing Connaught Place during the BRICS Summit and after the event are expected to be submitted as evidence in that matter.
The episode places enforcement at the centre of the dispute. The summit period demonstrated that the market can operate with clearer pedestrian space and fewer visible obstructions when multiple agencies coordinate enforcement. The immediate question for traders and residents is whether that arrangement will continue once the heightened security and administrative attention associated with the summit recedes.
The NDTA has asked the Lieutenant Governor, Delhi Police and the NDMC to maintain the encroachment-free conditions. The pending contempt proceedings and the evidence submitted before the High Court are the next formal developments identified in the report.
