Delhi's colonial Town Hall to become a museum

The Town Hall in Chandni Chowk will be converted into a museum, library cum convention centre "in a way that the old cultural heritage of historical Shahjahanabad would be kept intact".

Tourists will soon be able to savour the old world charm when the 142-year-old Victorian style Town Hall that at present houses the municipal corporation's head office is vacated and converted into a heritage museum, officials said.

According to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Town Hall in Chandni Chowk will be converted into a museum, library cum convention centre "in a way that the old cultural heritage of historical Shahjahanabad would be kept intact".

“We have decided that a high-quality consultant should be appointed to ensure maximum utilisation of space in the existing building of Town Hall,” said MCD standing committee chairman Vijender Gupta.

The official said all offices of the MCD at Town Hall and in its neighbourhood will be shifted to newly constructed civic centre at the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg.

“There has been speculation on this for long, but now finally the chairman has decided that the offices will shift by May this year,” a senior MCD official said.

The Town Hall, a yellow-painted brick and stone Victorian style building was conceived by the British immediately after the 1857 rebellion and was completed by 1866. It is said to be one of the most posh properties in Old Delhi.