New Delhi, May 26 -- Delhi's push to demonstrate that great retail streets can function without private cars has hinged on two showcases: Ajmal Khan Road in Karol Bagh and the Red Fort-Fatehpuri axis of Shahjahanabad. Both were unveiled with promises of cleaner air, thriving commerce and a replicable template for Indian cities; both quickly delivered eye-catching gains before slowly slipping back toward the very congestion they were meant to cure.

Revisiting the projects in mid-2025 - armed with the city's own air-quality data, court filings, press reports and fresh field notes - reveals a nuanced story of early success, gradual decay and, crucially, the structural tweaks that could still rescue them.

Ajmal Khan Road's promising start ...