BSZ Marg facelift plan back on track

Earlier,the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH),which had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the MCD for the project,had assured the civic agency that work would be completed before June this year,well in time for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The project was,however,delayed as it “took time to get the necessary clearances”.

“The area is archaeologically rich and there is evidence of ancient structures buried there. The MCD had to ensure none of the ASI monuments in the vicinity are harmed,” an official said.

The MCD will now carry out extensive landscaping of the area and is even considering a proposal to make Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg accessible to pedestrians. Besides,Shaheedi Park will also be redeveloped to provide a clear view of the ancient Ferozeshah Kotla Fort.

The project also includes refurbishing the road between Delhi Gate and Daryaganj. The civic body also plans to develop a heritage corridor starting from Coronation Park in North Delhi to Qutab Minar in South Delhi,which will include prominent heritage sites such as Ferozeshah Kotla,Khooni Darwaza and Delhi Gate.

The famous Shankar’s International Dolls Museum and Shaheedi Park are other important locations that fall on the stretch and would be re-developed.

The MCD had initially planned to build a multi-level underground parking lot at Shaheedi Park. Due to the huge parking requirements in the area and a potential threat to many heritage structures in the vicinity,the parking lot was shifted to the Parade Ground in Chandni Chowk. With plans for a mechanised stack parking lot,the parade ground will provide parking space for 663 cars once completed. The MCD has already started work on the Rs 52-crore project.

“Since the proposal for refurbishing the road between Delhi Gate and Daryaganj involves changes in the traffic pattern,the area in front of Ferozeshah Kotla will be taken up in the first phase,” an MCD official said.

The proposal was approved by the MCD Standing Committee in January.