The inauguration of the redeveloped Chandni Chowk stretch by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which was scheduled for April 17, stands cancelled due to a rise in Covid cases in the city. A circular issued by the PWD Minister’s office to the Engineer-in-Chief of PWD on April 9 states that the inauguration stands cancelled. The redeveloped area – a 1.3-km stretch between Red Fort and Fatehpuri Mosque – was scheduled to be inaugurated by the CM at 11 am on April 17. While the circular does not state the reason, government sources said the inauguration is cancelled because of increasing cases in the capital. Officials said the redevelopment project in Chandni Chowk has been completed and only a few last-minute touches were left. There is a lack of clarity on whether the inauguration would be held at a later date. A copy of the circular was sent to the Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development), the Secretary of PWD, and the Managing Director of the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation. The stretch has been renovated and beautified as part of the project to redevelop Delhi’s walled city, which served as the capital of the Mughal empire. The project was carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 99 crore. Work began on December 1, 2018, and was targeted to be completed by November 2020. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it got delayed by a year.
