Palika Bazaar

Entrance of Palika Bazar, Connaught Place, New Delhi

Palika Bazaar (Hindi: पालिका बाज़ार, Punjabi: ਪਾਲਿਕਾ ਬਾਜ਼ਾਰ, Urdu: پالیکا بازار) 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 conduct regular raids to recover stolen or pirated merchandise, but this has failed to put an end to the illegal activity in the market.

"Regeneration" Project

As part of a wider effort 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.

Entrance as seen at the time of Commonwealth Games

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.

Popular culture

Palika Bazaar has been a part of popular culture not only in Delhi but throughout India.Some of them are:

• Indian singer Sandeep Tripathy's video Never Say Goodbye was shot at Palika Bazaar.Scenes of pallika are clearly visible in the song.

External links

• www.palikabazaar.com An informal website on Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place, New Delhi