NDMC to revive CP’s fading white facades and forgotten fountains

The civic body is also working on parallel projects to improve the market’s environs, including repairing defunct escalators in subways and reviving the musical fountain at Central Park

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will soon launch a major cleanup and repainting drive in Connaught Place to restore the white grandeur of its iconic corridors, where yellow and red stains have crept up over time. This will be the first large-scale restoration of the market’s corridors and pillars since the area was spruced up for the G20 summit in 2023.

The drive in CP will involve scrapping off stained patches, repairing damage with white cement, and repainting the pillars, officials said. (SANJEEV VERMA?HT PHOTO)

The civic body is also working on several parallel projects to improve the market’s environs, including repairing defunct escalators in subways and reviving the musical fountain at Central Park.

Officials said the drive, set to run over the next four months, will involve scrapping off stained patches, repairing scratches and surface damage with white cement, and repainting the pillars with synthetic enamel paint for an even finish.

“Around 12,000 square metres of surface will be restored, and more than 1,350 litres of paint will be used,” an NDMC official aware of the plan said.

Alongside, the civic body plans a crackdown on violators who dirty or deface the market while running awareness campaigns among visitors to keep the capital’s central business hub clean. HT had on October 9 reported how common spaces across Connaught Place have been marred by paan stains, damaged plaster and poor upkeep with traders lamenting the state of the iconic British-era market.

Amit Gupta, joint secretary of the New Delhi Traders Association, said the quality of past paint work has been poor, often limited to patchwork without proper surface cleaning. “NDMC should launch a robust campaign to instil civic sense, including fines and deployment of marshals. More boards and CCTV cameras should be installed, and action taken against hawkers,” he added.

Gupta emphasized that a long-term solution lies in implementing the long-pending daily mechanical cleaning project, coupled with a strong enforcement drive to maintain the area’s upkeep.

Officials aware of the plan said that NDMC’s renewed effort to revive CP will also extend to other parallel projects. This will include the long-awaited repair of defunct escalators in subways and the revival of the musical fountain at Central Park in the heart of CP. The fountain, lying non-functional for months, will be completely redeveloped with new motors, nozzles, laser systems and an upgraded operating mechanism at an estimated cost of ₹40 lakh.

Spread across 39,000 square metres, Central Park is one of the city’s most prominent public spaces, with 27,000 square metres of landscaped greenery and one of the tallest national flag installations in the country. “We are also hiring more workers to improve daily cleaning of footpaths, signages, fountains and railings in the park,” an NDMC official said.

Meanwhile, NDMC vice-chairman Kuljeet Chahal said the council will restore all escalators within its jurisdiction to full functionality. Of the 22 escalators installed at major subways, 13 are currently operational, two require minor repairs, and seven have remained non-functional due to technical and safety issues. “We are implementing a work plan to repair and restart all inactive escalators to provide maximum convenience to commuters and citizens,” Chahal said.