All hands on deck as redeveloped Chandni Chowk rapidly loses lustre

Chandni Chowk's redeveloped stretch between Red Fort and Fatehpuri Masjid faces neglect, sparking blame game between political parties.

The 1.3-km-long redeveloped stretch between Red Fort and Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk is back to its old ways. It is crowded and unkempt, with garbage littering the red sandstone road and betel stains on the pavements.

Inaugurated with much fanfare in September 2021 by then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the stretch, a traffic-free zone, consisted of a wide footpath, public toilets, water ATMs, ramps for persons with disabilities, decorative lights, benches, and multilingual signage.

The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), the nodal agency for the redevelopment of the historic town, carried out the beautification, at a cost of around ₹100 crore.

It was part of the SRDC’s larger plan to uplift Jama Masjid, Daryaganj, the stretch between Delhi Gate and Nukkad Faiz Bazar, Lothian Bridge, Kashmere Gate, and Esplanade Road, among others, according to a 2017 project report.

However, locals rued that the SRDC has been unable to uplift these areas and maintain the redeveloped stretch.

They also blamed Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for the deplorable condition of the stretch. “MCD was supposed to ensure that no rickshaws or two-wheelers ply on the stretch being reserved for pedestrians. Now, there is no space left to walk,” complained Babni Kumar, a trader in Chandni Chowk.

For the neglected state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), now in the Opposition in Delhi, had blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre for lack of funds and stalling new projects.