2nd phase of Delhi's Chandni Chowk redevelopment to begin soon

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia held a meeting with Public Works Department PWD officials and directed them to ensure a balance between historic and modern architectural designs during the second phase of redevelopment.Sisodia said the public response to the first phase of Chandni Chowk redevelopment, where the government focused on decongesting the area and beautify the main road stretch of the market to improve the shopping experience of visitors, was overwhelming.Historical places across Delhi symbolize the countrys evolution over a period of time and the Kejriwal government is determined to preserve all these places on priority.

The AAP government will soon begin the second phase of redevelopment of Delhi's iconic Chandni Chowk, focussing on reviving and beautifying the historical architectural character of the buildings in the area, an official statement said on Monday. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia held a meeting with Public Works Department (PWD) officials and directed them to ensure a balance between historic and modern architectural designs during the second phase of redevelopment.

Sisodia said the public response to the first phase of Chandni Chowk redevelopment, where the government focused on decongesting the area and beautify the main road stretch of the market to improve the shopping experience of visitors, was overwhelming.

''Historical places across Delhi symbolize the country's evolution over a period of time and the Kejriwal government is determined to preserve all these places on priority. ''All the historical buildings should be revived with their original features,'' the statement quoting Sisodia said. The first phase of the Chandni Chowk redevelopment project was completed in 2021 and now the government is all set to begin its second phase soon, it said.

The project includes conservation of heritage structures as per original material and construction techniques, structural retrofitting and restoration, it said.

The project also envisages unification of the facade of heritage buildings, colour and signage scheme for shops, facade illumination, and interpretation of storyline of heritage structures on various spots by using plaques and QR codes to enhance the visitor experience, the statement said.

Sisodia, who also holds the PWD portfolio, said in the present situation, Chandni Chowk has a blend of historic and modern architecture buildings, but to provide a unified look to the market, these buildings require a facelift.

Sisodia said during the implementation of the redevelopment plan, they should ensure that inconvenience is not caused to owners of local shops and historical buildings.

The redevelopment plan also envisages revamp of roads of the Shahjahanabad area to provide a better shopping experience to visitors and a better opportunity to explore the cultural heritage of Delhi, it said.

In the first phase, the Delhi government had revamped the 1.3 km stretch with red sandstone and granite pavement between the Red Fort and Fatehpuri Masjid. The landscaping of the 17th-century market was done and CCTV cameras were installed to ensure the safety of the visitors.

In an attempt to make the market pedestrian-friendly, the stretch was declared a ''no-traffic zone'' for motorized vehicles between 9 am and 9 pm.

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