Delhi: Iconic Town Hall in Chandni Chowk to be developed as Global Heritage Centre

New Delhi: The Delhi government has taken an important step towards redeveloping the historic Town Hall in Chandni Chowk by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the MCD to develop the heritage building as a ‘Global Heritage Centre’, an official said on Sunday.

The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), the nodal agency of the Delhi government’s Tourism Department, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) signed the MoU for the joint project in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the official said.

Under the MoU, the historic Town Hall, Press Building and Park will be conserved and connected with new opportunities in tourism and development, the official said.

The Chief Minister said the initiative is an important step toward preserving Delhi’s historical heritage, as the proposed Global Heritage Centre would include a museum, host cultural activities and offer tourism-related facilities.

Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi and officials were also present at the MoU signing ceremony held at the Delhi Secretariat.

The project is particularly significant as the Town Hall and its associated complex form part of the historic areas of Chandni Chowk and Shahjahanabad. The Grade-I heritage complex was built between 1860 and 1866, said an official statement.

The Municipal Corporation’s headquarters remained in the complex for a long time before being shifted in 2010 to the new Dr S.P. Mukherjee Civic Centre on Minto Road. Since then, much of the complex has remained largely vacant. According to the MoU, the MCD will retain ownership of the historic complex, spread over approximately 12,180 square metres.

The project aims to adaptively reuse the historic building while preserving its original heritage identity. In other words, the building will be conserved in keeping with its historical and architectural character, while also being made useful for present-day tourism and cultural needs, the statement said.

The proposed Global Heritage Centre will provide domestic and international tourists visiting Old Delhi with a new major attraction where they can experience Delhi’s history, heritage and culture within a single complex.

Located in a busy area with a large flow of tourists, near Chandni Chowk and the Old Delhi Railway Station, the complex has considerable potential for better utilisation.

Under the MoU, the DTTDC has been entrusted with conducting surveys, carrying out a structural assessment of the building and preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Subsequently, the statement said, the option of developing the project through public investment or the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model will be decided.

A Joint Working Group comprising representatives of DTTDC and the MCD will also be constituted to review the project’s progress regularly. The initial term of the MoU has been set at 30 years and may be extended by another 30 years through mutual consent.

Heritage material, archival material, artefacts, and historical records associated with the Town Hall will remain with the Municipal Corporation, the statement said.

IANS