New Delhi, Jan. 5: The Centre today cleared a pilot project to take private motorised vehicles off Delhi's retail hub of Connaught Place from next month, angering shopkeepers who said business would be hit.

Connaught Place has three circular roads around a park. In between the three roads are around 4,000 shops, banks, restaurants and other commercial establishments, arranged in two rings. The plan involves banning cars and motorbikes from the inner and middle circular roads.

Bicycles on hire and battery-operated vehicles would be introduced. The ministry said public transport would ply from parking lots close to the nearby Shivaji Stadium and Baba Kharak Singh Marg, but it wasn't clear if the reference was to buses or battery-operated vehicles. Details such as whether public buses and taxis would be allowed remained unclear but the civic body was expected to add some clarity tomorrow.

A Union urban development ministry release said the move, to be enforced "for three months from February", was part of "smart city" plans for the area. It cited objectives such as traffic decongestion and a pleasurable experience for "pedestrians and shop owners".

But traders said any disruption of traffic would make business unviable. They are expected to meet this week to chalk out plans to resist the move.

"We lost five years to the Metro construction, another five to the redevelopment ahead of the Commonwealth Games (when parking was restricted)," New Delhi Traders Association president Atul Bhargava told The Telegraph. "Business has been down for two years and the note ban has hit us badly. This is a decision taken by people sitting in offices who have no clue about what needs to be done. I ask them, why do they keep experimenting with Connaught Place?"

He added: "On Yoga Day last year, when vehicles were blocked from Connaught Place, we lost 80 per cent of business. The outer circle was choked and traffic on the arterial roads from Mandi House, Gole Market and Minto road were thrown out of gear."