Delhi govt to redevelop Walled City, retain its historical character to make it a tourism hub

Old Delhi, also known as Shahjahanabad or the Walled City, is one of the Capital’s oldest inhabited areas and houses dense residential neighbourhoods, historic monuments and markets. 

Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation, Rekha Gupta, Delhi government, Shahjahanabad, Delhi govt to redevelop Walled City, delhi news, India news, Indian express, current affairsCM Rekha Gupta

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has taken charge of the redevelopment of Old Delhi after being appointed the Chairperson of the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), the government said on Tuesday. Gupta said the government would focus on improving infrastructure in the area without compromising its historical character and develop it as a tourism hub.

Old Delhi, also known as Shahjahanabad or the Walled City, is one of the Capital’s oldest inhabited areas and houses dense residential neighbourhoods, historic monuments and markets.

The CM also said overhead electrical wires in narrow lanes would be shifted underground to improve safety and reduce visual clutter. A traffic management plan would also be prepared to address congestion in commercial areas, and multi-level parking facilities would be explored to reduce on-street parking, she said.

Gupta said several projects earlier planned by the SRDC would be reviewed. These include the redevelopment of Chandni Chowk, the Jama Masjid area, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Marg, and the stretch between Delhi Gate and Kashmere Gate. Officials said these projects would be reassessed with the aim of improving public spaces and tourism infrastructure.

The SRDC functions as a special purpose vehicle and coordinates with multiple agencies on development and conservation works. In August last year, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor had recommended the dissolution of the agency and an audit of its operations, accusing the previous AAP government of corruption. In a meeting chaired by the CM in November, Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal had recommended that the agency be renamed ‘Indraprastha Redevelopment Corporation’ or ‘Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Corporation’.

According to Sanjay Bhargava, president of Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, the SRDC should prioritise action against illegal construction and destruction of heritage buildings.

The SRDC was constituted on May 1, 2008, by the Delhi government. It brings together agencies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Public Works Department and the Tourism Department. The government said the corporation had remained largely inactive in recent years due to administrative and coordination issues.

 

Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read More

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