Delhi’s ornate roundabouts turn targets for theft, vandalism

In a spot check on May 26, HT identified issues at six major roundabouts.

To be sure, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is responsible for the construction and maintenance of 52 roundabouts in Lutyens’ Delhi area. The civic body carried out a major revamp drive at these roundabouts in 2022-23 for the G20 Summit held in the Capital. Many art pieces, which were installed under the beautification drive, are now missing or in shambles.

Last year, HT reported that the NDMC was continuing the revamp of roundabouts with sculptures, fountains and ornamental features.

Cut to late May: HT’s spot check at six roundabouts in the area found many wires, locks, lamp posts, electricity equipment, signboards, flower pots, plants, and other trinkets adoring the parks missing. Police said thefts are increasing and such items keep disappearing at night.

“The value of the stolen items reportedly ranges from ₹20,000 to even ₹1 lakh a piece. Thefts started soon after the G20 ended in 2023. Thieves have been targeting NDMC areas to steal copper, iron, flower pots and other items. We have seen a recent surge in such cases but no official complaints come to us. Also, it is difficult to track all roundabouts at night as police are also on security duty in the area,” a senior police officer said.

Over 65 cases of theft were reported between March and April this year, as per police data. Last year, the figure was between 45 and 50 cases a month.

At the roundabout in front of Janpath Road in central Delhi, a dead fountain lies in the middle of the lush green boundary. Crossed by hundreds of commuters every day, the site—lacking wires from lamp posts, mast lights, cables and nozzles from the fountains—is barely noticed. Guards and gardeners in the area said it has become a hub for vagabonds and addicts.

Gardeners and security guards at the roundabout said they were hired by an agency recently for security, and that locks were installed on lights and lamp posts for security purposes.

The Talkatora Circle—connecting Shankar Road, Talkatora Stadium, and Rashtrapati Bhawan Circle—has a roundabout, which also doubles up as a park on paper. However, six stands installed in the park to hoist lights and pots during the G20 Summit were missing during the visit. The centre of the roundabout houses an Indian flag, but there was no light inside the park.

The lush Janpath Circle, with a big pond, shelters workers during the day as trees provide shade during summer. Personnel from the Delhi Police were also seen at a makeshift shelter in the centre. However, a few lights at the site did not have wiring, while others were dysfunctional. In addition, a few low-mast lights were also missing, besides the fountain wires.

The Pandit Pant Marg Circle—an essential roundabout connecting Delhi Police Headquarters, Sansad Marg and Patel Chowk—is also affected due to the recent thefts. A gardener at the circle pointed at fountains with missing nozzles, pots, chains and two abandoned electric supply boxes which earlier had equipment, metres and wires but most of the items are now missing. A third power supply box has been put up with a lock for security. Further, the circle has two fountains, of which one is completely empty.

Next, HT visited the Mandi House roundabout, which is a hub for students who come to rehearse at the nearby drama schools and rest in the shade. Colourful pots which used to adorn the main structure of the roundabout have all vanished, diminishing its beauty. In addition to this, low-mast lights, cables and pieces of tiles were also non-existent.

The Central Secretariat Chowk near Parliament and Rashtrapati Bhawan features a lush enclosure with trees, grass and plants. However, pots, wires, chains and cables which were put up during the G20 Summit to beautify and protect the area, were missing here too.

The Delhi Police said multiple complaints have been sent but no official communication has come from NDMC regarding the thefts. “It’s not just the roundabouts, we are also dealing with other missing items which were installed during the G20 Summit across Lutyens’ Delhi. We are looking at different cases. Some of the accused were even caught but the vagabonds keep gaining access to the VIP points and steal smaller things, which are easier to hide as they would put them in bags, garbage bags or dustbins,” an officer said.

NDMC officials did not respond to HT’s request for a comment on the situation.