Connaught Place Renovation Project

[IU]

unrelated to the project but some sad news for Volga lovers

Last drink over, Volga in CP calls it a day

'Closed — 27/02/2010’.

With that handwritten note on its doors, Volga, one of the oldest restaurant-bars in Connaught Place, ended the party on Saturday.

The notice came like a bolt from the blue for both customers and staff who arrived for the evening shift. Some of the cleaning staff who came for evening duty waited around the restaurant for half-an-hour or so before turning back.

The staff inside did not open the door and refused to discuss why the restaurant has been closed. A call to the restaurant was picked up by a man who identified himself as a member of the bar staff. “Yes,” he said, “it is closed forever. But I don’t know why. Our owner has said we cannot give his number, or talk to anyone.”

Radhey Shyam, a security guard at a showroom on the same lane, said, “Today, the staff of Volga received a letter from their owner saying the bar has to be closed — they worked till 8 pm.”

Opened in the 1940s, Volga was one of the most ‘happening places’ in Connaught Place long before ‘happening’ became an informal word for fashionable in the general lexicon.

Ajay Sharma, who said he has been visiting Volga for many years, was “shocked” and left “speechless”. He said, “I was about to enter Volga this evening when I found the door shut. A staff member told me it has been closed.” Vineet Ahuja, another regular, said, “It was one of the oldest bars in the city and many came here for the sheer ambience and the familiar faces, besides the drinks and cocktails that were relatively easy on your pocket.”

some updates from this year -

January 21 - M block (Outer Circle)
Copyright Parul2999


L Block (Outer Circle)



February 4 - K Block (outer Circle) undergroing renovation with C Block (Inner Circle) on its right
Copyright chrispass79





February 27 - C Block (Inner Circle)
Copyright Anupam Chatterjee

[european]

they should get rid of all those cars and motor cycles and build a proper car park and do loads more.

[Gotcha]

and i wish they had gone with granite instead of sandstone but whatever..

[kronik]

Was in CP a few days ago. Work is going on everywhere, but its still a nightmare to move around in the bumper to bumper traffic on the outer circle and congested parking in the inner circle. CP's parking problems are for real.

[Cov Boy]

There is a plan for the erratic car parking as part of the restoration plan.

I cant remember exactly where I read this.

[Effer]

Originally Posted by Cov Boy

There is a plan for the erratic car parking as part of the restoration plan.

I cant remember exactly where I read this.

Have they considered building a parking garage? A one that is possibly underground? That would do wonders for CP's parking hassles.

[IU]

^ That plan for underground lots was considered in 2008 but died along the way.

Right now an automated parking garage is under construction at KG Marg with a cap of about 1500 vehicles and the Pallika Bazaar underground parking lot is planned to be upgraded and optimized to handle more than 1000 vehicles. Until the underground lots don't come up, cars will unfortunately be continued to park at the parking lots in front and around CP's blocks.

[bains1971]

Have they created new laws for the shop keeper preventing them from using those over sized display boards again. what will stop them from going back to their old habits?

[Abhishek901]

Half of the parking problems will get solved because of better metro connectivity. With opening of southern extension of yellow line and purple line, many people will prefer metro to reach here.

[IU]

Originally Posted by bains1971

Have they created new laws for the shop keeper preventing them from using those over sized display boards again. what will stop them from going back to their old habits?

The NDMC has set a code for board size & style and will ensure that all the boards put up conform to it. I'm not sure what the NDMC will do if the shop owners break the code in the future. The revamp benefits them, so you should expect some level of maturity from them to not do so.

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brochure/collateral designed by Ideaz Inc Design -

[smithevne]

Wow cp is gonna have a facelift in 2010. This is really great. CP is gonna add charm to Delhi.

[Abhishek901]

Indian Express

[Abhishek901]

Hindustan Times

[KuwarOnline]

Once completed gonna look like awesome.....hope i could see..... after completion.....hope they revamp the palika bazaar too...

[Indian Rockstars]

Originally Posted by KuwarOnline

Once completed gonna look like awesome.....hope i could see..... after completion.....hope they revamp the palika bazaar too...

they are revamping palika Bazaar too......your wish granted hehehe....

yeah me too waiting to see Connaught place after revamp...

[patentneer]

Originally Posted by IndiansUnite

The NDMC has set a code for board size & style and will ensure that all the boards put up conform to it. I'm not sure what the NDMC will do if the shop owners break the code in the future. The revamp benefits them, so you should expect some level of maturity from them to not do so.

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brochure/collateral designed by Ideaz Inc Design -

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... ओ-ओ ... क्या बात ..

[ausguy]

Originally Posted by Indian Rockstars

they are revamping palika Bazaar too......your wish granted hehehe....

Arn't they doing it for several years ? First it was the air-conditioning system, that went for about two years. then all the ceiling ... etc etc.

[Cov Boy]

There is not much time to go, 4 months to go before the games start & no up-dates on these works. I dont there is much time to do all these renovations and the monsoons are due soon.

[aranjan]

They have already restored a few blocks. I don't know how many exactly. CP looked much better than before when I saw it last August, cleaner, nicer, more organized, better signage, etc.

[Cov Boy]

Thats very reasurring, thanks for your feedback.