New Delhi, Sep 20 (PTI) The historic Town Hall in Chandni Chowk, once the headquarters of the municipal corporation, will be transformed into a Global Heritage Centre with a museum and spaces for cultural and tourism activities while preserving its Grade-I identity.
An MoU was signed between the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Delhi Secretariat on Sunday.
The project covers the Town Hall, Press Building and Park spread over around 12,180 square metres in the historic Chandni Chowk and Shahjahanabad areas, according to a statement.
The complex, built between 1860 and 1866, remained the civic body headquarters for a long time before it shifted to the Dr SP Mukherjee Civic Centre in 2010. Since then, a large part of the complex has remained largely vacant.
Under the MoU, its ownership will continue to remain with the MCD while the heritage structures will be conserved and developed for tourism and cultural activities, it said.
The project envisaged adaptive reuse of the historic building while retaining its original heritage and architectural character. The proposed Global Heritage Centre will include a museum and facilities for cultural and tourism activities, the statement said.
The complex, located near Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi Railway Station, is expected to provide domestic and international visitors a place to experience Delhi’s history, heritage and culture within a single complex, it read.
It further said that the tourism department has been tasked with conducting surveys, undertaking a structural assessment and preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the redevelopment.
The project may subsequently be developed through public investment or the public-private partnership (PPP) model, it said.
A Joint Working Group comprising representatives of the DTTDC and MCD will regularly review the progress. The initial term of the MoU is 30 years and can be extended by another 30 years with mutual consent, it said.
Heritage material, archival material, artefacts and historical records associated with the Town Hall will remain with the MCD, according to the MoU.
The chief minister said the Town Hall is an important part of Delhi’s history and heritage and the government is committed to preserving its historical and architectural identity while connecting it with modern tourism and cultural activities.
Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said developing the Town Hall, Press Building and Park as a Global Heritage Centre would give a new impetus to heritage tourism in the area.
“Our effort is to make historical monuments more attractive and useful for domestic and international tourists while preserving their heritage,” he said.
Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi and senior officials of the concerned departments were also present at the MoU signing ceremony. PTI SHB APL APL
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