Palika Bazaar

Palika Bazaar is an underground market located between the inner and outer circle of Connaught Place, Delhi, India. Palika Bazaar hosts 390 numbered shops selling a diverse range of items; however, the market is dominated by electronic items and clothing. Palika Bazaar was set up in the late 1970s, but since the 1980s it has seen a decline in customers, in part due to the opening of several new, modern shopping malls all over Delhi.

Palika Bazaar is estimated to have some 15.000 people within its confines at any given time and also attracts many foreign tourists. It is known as a place with a very low level of prices. It does, however, also have a reputation for a wide availability of illegal products such as pornography, stolen goods, fake designer products and pirated CDs, software and movies. Police conducts regular raids to recover stolen or pirated merchandise, but this has failed to put an end to the illegal activity in the market.

Security Problems

After the rape of a female shopper by two shopkeepers in April 2007, Delhi Police advised women against entering Palika Bazar alone. Local media reported that female visitors often complain about eveteasing and harassment [Cite news
title = Palika Bazar is swank CP's ugly underbelly
publisher = The Times of India
date = 30 April 2007
quote= scores of women visiting the market complain about eveteasing and harassment [...] cops advice women not to go inside the bazar even during day time.] , and a lack of proper trial rooms [Cite news
title = Keep your eyes open in trial rooms
publisher = The Times of India
date = 1 May 2007] .

"Regeneration" Project

As part of a wider effort to prepare Delhi for hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Games the New Delhi Municipal Council is currently working on plans for a major "regeneration of Palika Bazaar", described to be in a state of decay [Cite news
title = NMDC to set right Palika "decay"
publisher = The Times of India
date = December 2006
quote= With the 2010 Commonwealth Games in mind, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NMDC) is gearing up to give Palika Bazar [...] which is currenty in a state of decay, a makeover] .

Gates of Palika Bazaar

* Gate no. 1: Main gate. Faces Connaught Place Central Park, with F Block on the right and Palika Underground Parking on the left. Staircase entry.

* Gate no. 2: Faces Palika Underground Parking. Handicap ramp entry.

* Gate no. 3: Not in use. Faces Palika Underground Parking. Closed to the public.

* Gate no. 4: Spiral staircase entry with two doors, one not in use. Door in use faces Parliament Street, Regal Building and Jeevan Bharti building.

* Gate no. 5: Spiral staircase entry with two doors. One door faces Janpath, N Block and Jeevan Bharti building, the other faces towards Palika Underground Parking.

* Gate no. 6: Staircase entry. Faces N Block and F Block.

* Gate no. 7: Handicap ramp entry. Faces F Block.

Official Site

It has an official site

http://www.palikabazaar.com/

In which you can see all the details of the shops and their numbers.It even has a map of Palika Bazaar.

References

External links

* [http://www.Palikabazaar.com www.palikabazaar.com] An informal website on Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place, New Delhi