Delhi: Phase-II of Chandni Chowk’s revamp runs into funding wall

NEW DELHI: There seems to be another hindrance in the implementation of Delhi government’s plans to redevelop Chandni Chowk into a tourist hub.
On Friday, the Public Works Department said that Phase II of the heritage stretch’s redevelopment during which the facades of buildings and other infrastructure were to be revamped has been delayed due to lack of funds. After the completion of Phase I of the project, under which the market area of Chandni Chowk got a facelift, PWD was scheduled to begin the work for the second phase in December.
“In Phase II, for which work was to begin from December, all buildings on the 1.4-km Chandni Chowk stretch were to get a facade uplift.But like a few other PWD projects stalled for lack of funds, this project too has been hobbled by financial constraints,” disclosed a PWD official on Friday.
In Phase 2, apart from the restoration of facades of the aged buildings on the boulevard, the internal lanes in the areas like Ballimaran, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, Netaji Subhash Road and the precincts of Jama Masjid were to be restored.
The PWD officials blamed Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), the nodal agency for the redevelopment project, for the delay in the sanction of funds.
TOI has a document from the October 8 meeting of the board of directors of SRDC, which also saw the participation of PWD officials, in which a resolution affirms, “SRDC shall fund and monitor execution of improvements of inner streets, façade restoration of buildings in Chandni Chowk and redevelopment of Jama Masjid precinct.”
SRDC officials, including managing director Garima Gupta and the deputy general manager (project and administration), were contacted several times for their response, but they remained available for comment. The project aims to restore the heritage areas of Delhi and revive the Mughal aesthetics of these locations.