New Delhi: The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on Wednesday has recommended holistic planning for pedestrian-friendly market spaces in various cities and municipal areas in the country in consultation with stakeholders.
MoHUA officials said that the ministry is utilizing the situation arising out due to COVID-19 to reimagine streets for people. “To make market areas COVID-19 safe and people-friendly, the need of the hour is for Indian cities to consider pedestrianising them,” officials said.
As cities look to ease the lockdown and provide safe, affordable and equitable modes of transport while ensuring physical social distancing, the need for pedestrianisation of market spaces through walking and cycling-friendly cities is of utmost importance.
MoHUA secretary Durga Shanker Mishra issued an advisory to all states, cities, municipal corporations to select at least three marketplaces for pedestrianisation & non-million plus cities to select at least one market area for pedestrianisation in market places.
The advisory has asked for a selection of market location, holistic Planning of the area, once the plan is made and firmed up cities may start implementation in two phases – short term and long term.
The advisory also mentioned short-term recommendations include interventions that are quick, temporary, easy to install and ensure safety to commuters after the lockdown.
It said that on-street parking space or even carriageway lanes can be repurposed to provide more walking and waiting for space, cities may consider providing improved access through additional streets, cyclists may be allowed with dedicated, ear-marked pathways.
The timeline for selecting city market spaces for pedestrianisation is June 30. The holistic planning of the area through stakeholder consultation can be undertaken in the next 3 months, the advisory said. Survey of the vendors and other users of the market space could be carried out and completed by July 31. By the end of September, a plan may be formalised to start implementation.
Short term measures such as temporary barricading, closure of roads for traffic, earmarking spaces, etc. to assess the plan on the field is set to be started in the first week of October.
The assessment of the implemented plan through short term measures will be done by November and amendments as required may be completed by November.
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