5 hrs ago
Chandni Chowk Town Hall Set to Become Heritage Centre
A historic building in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk will be given a new purpose.
The Town Hall used to be the headquarters of the city’s municipal corporation.
It has been mostly unused since the corporation moved elsewhere in 2010.
The government wants to protect the old building while making it useful for visitors.
The site may become a Global Heritage Centre with a museum and cultural activities.
People from India and other countries could visit to learn about Delhi’s history.
The project will also include the nearby Press Building and Park.
Officials will first study the buildings and prepare a detailed plan.
They will later decide whether to fund the project publicly or work with private partners.
Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi signed an MoU to redevelop Chandni Chowk’s Grade-I heritage Town Hall complex.
The approximately 12,180-square-metre site includes the Town Hall, Press Building and adjoining Park, while ownership remains with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The proposed Global Heritage Centre will include a museum and facilities for cultural and tourism-related activities.
Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation will conduct surveys, structural assessments and prepare a Detailed Project Report.
The MoU will initially last 30 years and may be extended for another 30 years by mutual consent.
- Who
- The Delhi government, the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are involved; Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra commented on the project.
- What
- The historic Town Hall complex will be conserved and redeveloped as a Global Heritage Centre for museums, culture and tourism.
- Where
- The complex is in the Shahjahanabad-Chandni Chowk area of Delhi, near Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi Railway Station.
- When
- The MoU was signed on Sunday; the agreement has an initial 30-year tenure.
- Why
- The project aims to preserve the Grade-I heritage property, protect associated historical materials, and promote heritage tourism through adaptive reuse.
Key facts
- Project
- Redevelopment as a Global Heritage Centre
- Site
- Town Hall, Press Building and adjoining Park
- Area
- Approximately 12,180 square metres
- Historical construction
- The Town Hall was constructed between 1860 and 1866
- Former use
- Municipal Corporation headquarters until its 2010 relocation
- Planning agency
- Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation
- Agreement tenure
- 30 years, extendable by another 30 years with mutual consent
- Future facilities
- Museum and cultural and tourism-related activities
Quotes
Kapil Mishra
Delhi Tourism Minister
“Our effort is to make historical monuments more attractive and useful for domestic and international tourists while preserving their heritage”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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