The Indian Express 24.12.2013
Just one bidder for coffee shops in CP subways, NDMC plans fresh tenders
The New Delhi Municipal Council’s plan to open high-end coffee shops
in subways in and around Connaught Place found only one bidder. The
Council had floated tenders and targeted big multinational coffee chains
in a bid to make subways safe for pedestrians and appealing to coffee
lovers.
However, the council did not get a response for its ambitious
project and now it will float new tenders for all but two subways, where
space will be allotted to Cafe Buddy. For those who have stopped taking
subways due to the presence of beggars and drug addicts, NDMC floated
proposals to start commercial activities in the subways.
The proposal, followed by tenders, came after Council officials
expressed their inability to evict beggars and drug addicts from subways
on Baba Kharak Singh Marg. The Council then proposed outsourcing these
subways to high-end coffee shops. Officials believed that with
commercial activity inside the subway, people would feel confident
taking them.
The council had planned to relax norms for those interested in
setting up coffee shops. The civic body had proposed that the coffee
shops would be responsible for maintenance and security in the subways
where they are allotted commercial space. However, the big
multinationals did not show interest in the project.
The council had decided to provide space in the Janpath subway to
Tihar for just Re 1 monthly rent, so that it could sell products in a
commercial hub. But Tihar has not responded to the proposal yet. “We
thought (of charging them) Re 1 as rent because we would be engaging in
community service. We are yet to hear from Tihar on this,” NDMC
secretary Vikas Anand said.
