The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has approved a 50% parking fee concession for electric vehicles, a 50-bed AYUSH Hospital in Sarojini Nagar and an Rs 18.26-crore street-lighting project to address dark spots across its jurisdiction. The decisions were taken at a council meeting at Palika Kendra on Monday and were presented as part of a wider civic modernisation programme.
NDMC Vice-Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal said the EV concession would apply at all parking facilities operated by the council’s Parking Management System Department. He said the measure was intended to promote clean transportation, reduce air pollution and lower dependence on petrol and diesel vehicles.
The council also sanctioned the proposed AYUSH Hospital and Research Centre in Sarojini Nagar at an estimated cost of Rs 55 crore. The project will be implemented under a 50-50 cost-sharing model with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. According to NDMC officials, the facility will expand existing polyclinic services to include inpatient care for Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathic treatments.
For public safety, the NDMC approved administrative sanction for an Rs 18.26-crore project to improve lighting and remove dark spots. The work will include the installation of octagonal street-light poles measuring between six and 11 metres, along with underground cabling and foundations. The report did not specify the number of locations covered or the project’s completion timeline.
NDMC Chairman Manoj Kumar Dwivedi also said the council was considering making Connaught Place a no-vehicle zone. He said stakeholder consultations would be held before any decision, citing the need to assess possible inconvenience and practical feasibility. Changes would require parking adjustments, updates to standard operating procedures and other administrative measures, he said.
Dwivedi said trader associations and residents would be involved in the process, with the objective of developing Connaught Place as a heritage area where pedestrians could walk freely. The statement indicates that the proposal remains at the consultation and planning stage rather than being an immediate traffic restriction.
The council is also preparing to replace old sewerage infrastructure along C-Hexagon, Lodhi Road, Zakir Hussain Marg, Golf Course and Subramaniam Bharti Marg. Dwivedi said a survey was being conducted to identify the lines requiring replacement and that work would begin soon.
Water infrastructure changes include the construction of a control room at Old R K Ashram Marg and the replacement of cast-iron water-supply lines with ductile-iron lines up to Pandara Road in Subdivision 3. The meeting also approved a Palika Adarsh Examination Centre at Moti Bagh for computer-based testing, recruitment to address staff shortages, smart electricity metering across NDMC areas and the replacement of non-functional escalators in Connaught Place.
The council approved a one-time settlement waiver on late payment water surcharges for Dhobi Ghat consumers, along with rationalised water charges. Delhi Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the measures were intended to reduce the burden of long-pending dues and improve everyday civic services. The next implementation steps will depend on departmental execution, stakeholder consultations and surveys for the sewerage and Connaught Place proposals.
