Locked luggage in the car with a good, attentive driver should be fine -- same with using the hotel bellhops to store it.
It sounds like you will have 5-7 hours to spend around town during the layover. A meal could eat up 2-3 hours of that easily, and with driving around and a visit for tea or coffee somewhere else eating up the rest of the time.
What I've suggested to some who have much the same schedule as yours is to rent a car, take the driver to Lodi Gardens and go for a cool evening walk -- it's quite safe -- then head for a coffee or tea around Khan Market or at the Imperial Hotel, Claridges or the Taj Mahal hotel (as time permits), then get to the reserved dinner from 9-10 p.m. at the hotel depending on what time you need to get to DEL airport to deal with the relevant hassles of the airport. [You will want to be at the airport between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. depending on how familiar you are with DEL airport and whether or not you are checking in and/or flying in business class.]
Because of the diving equipment, perhaps you will want to check in a bit earlier.
Originally Posted by
yosithezet
I would suggest the Indian restaurant at the Maurya (ex Sheraton, now Luxury Collection). It is supposed to be very good and the luggage won't be an issue.
For Bukhara -- meat selections are done well there -- or the other restaurants at the Maurya, best to have reservations made in advance (even if a hotel guest there).