Connaught Place Renovation Project

[phaedrus]

great pics of CP zhiemi!
yeah its refreshing to see te changes starting to happen there. should be great once the whole of it is refurbished

[Suncity]

Thanks for posting the pics zheimi!

[zhiemi]

My pleasure

[mooktada]

thanks for the wonderful images zhiemi..

[KB335ci]

More conservation + refurbishment must be undertaken countrywide., We've got so much to offer. Nice pictures, Zhiemi. It's funny how I have a friend by the same name...well, almost.

[zhiemi]

Thanks, my pleasure, glad you like them

Originally Posted by KB335ci

It's funny how I have a friend by the same name...well, almost.

Lol, strangers things happen

[zhiemi]

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[IndiansUnite]

Thanks for the images Zhiemi. I am glad that they've deployed more than one team to do the job. The renovated B Block looks great in the first image.

[Cov Boy]

Massive improvement!

[phaedrus]

great stuff. nice to see them put in proper efforts to renovate the place.
its already starting to come together. renovated CP would be quite a sight!

[zhiemi]

The renovated part of CP indeed looks much better!

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

Thanks for the images Zhiemi. I am glad that they've deployed more than one team to do the job. The renovated B Block looks great in the first image.

My pleasure, IU. When I visited the place, there were significant number of people working on the renovation, I hope it is like that everyday.

[zenith_suv]

CP deserves a make over , after all it's the city center and the connectivity hub of the Metro , the pics were great - thanks for those !!!

[Mahratta]

CP is shaping up well.
Good news about the Tekhand rehabilitations
nice snaps onlyprince!

[zhiemi]

Not so clear picture of revamped and old CP buildings, and the Civic Centre, as seen from Pallika Bazaar.
image hosted on flickr



Revamped CP
image hosted on flickr

[Euromast]

was not there a plan to streamline the billboards also

[Illusionist]

i like everything but the loosely hanging cables...

definately a huge improvement over what we had before..

[Cov Boy]

Much cleaner as well.

The cables and over kill on the billboards spoil it some what but massive improvment.

[IndiansUnite]

Those boards maybe temporary ones. Just see how thin that yellow one is. When I am there, I'll ask the guys at the shop about it.

Originally Posted by Indrajal.com

i like everything but the loosely hanging cables...

The cables will be removed. The second phase of the revamp involves taking all the electricity/cable wires underground.

[bhopalus]

CP renovation restores glory
30 Jun 2008, 0414 hrs IST, Ruhi Bhasin,TNN



CP has around 12 blocks and work in the others will start soon.
NEW DELHI: It's a sneak peak into what Connaught Place would have looked like when it was built in the 1930s. With CP's C-block renovation work almost complete, you just have to look at the block next to it to actually understand how one of the most important commercial hubs in the city was envisaged and what it's condition actually is.

The block, which house 39 shops, has been under renovation for a year now and is the pilot project undertaken as part of CP's redevelopment plan. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has tried to restore the facade of the building as per the original design (made by Robert Tor Russel and W H Nicholls) after extensive research through the civic agency's archives, alongwith that of CPWD. The restoration work has cost NDMC Rs 2 crore. According to the civic agency, work began with C-block as it is the smallest block in CP.

Says Anand Tiwari, spokesperson of NDMC: "We have used granite stone for the flooring and have carried out plastering and finishing of the outer facade. You will see no wires hanging out as ducting in front and two sides of the block has been carried out. The windows have been restored to their original shape and wrought iron railings have been put up. Uniform signposts have also been put up." They still have to fix the lighting in the area.

CP has around 12 blocks and work in the other blocks will start simultaneously once restoration of the facade of C-block is complete.

Meanwhile, NDMC is still making a plan for the parking in CP. While some areas will have surface parking, underground parking will also be made where ever it is a viable option. The plan to begin restoration was mooted in 2004 and expected to be complete by July 2010. CP will also have central air-conditioning, according to officials.

While many traders are happy with the 'new look' of C-block, it hasn't gone down well with some of them. Says Vaishalik, partner, Jain Book Agency: "The extended footpaths have eaten into out parking space and some of our telephone lines have not been functional for days." Due to the tenant-landlord problems, the facade of all blocks in
CP were in a very bad condition.

Says Sadan Singh, who has been working in CP for 30 years: "I have been working in CP for years and felt sad that an area so important in terms of heritage was rotting away due to fights between tenants and landlords. The restoration of CP is important to give generations to come a glimpse of the past."

Designed by Robert Tor Russell and W H Nicholls, CP was built in 1931 and is named after the Duke of Connaught, a member of the British royal family, who visited India in 1920. Designed in a circular form, it is divided into blocks by seven radial clocks. The radius of the inner circle is about 947 ft. Though CP appears circular, close observations reveals that it is more like a horseshoe in design.

so they have to recreate all this work 12 times over? damn...

[phaedrus]

this pic looks amazing. cant wait to go back and check the place out!
i presume IU will take a lot of pics when he is there.