Delhi’s Chandni Chowk redevelopment: Arts body, traders fail to reach consensus on transformers

Work on the Chandni Chowk redevelopment project started on December 1, 2018. As per the plan, the 1.5-km stretch between Red Fort and Fatehpuri will have pavements to create 6-13 metre-wide pedestrian zones along the shops on either side of the road.

The logjam between the traders and the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) over shifting of transformers in Chandni Chowk under the ongoing redevelopment plan continued as both sides failed to reach an agreement over the issue in a meeting on Tuesday chaired by lieutenant governor Anil Baijal.

Transformers on the central verge will create an obstruction, said DUAC. (Sanchit Khanna/HT File PHOTO)

While DUAC wants the transformers shifted to the either side of the road, the traders are adamant that they remain in the middle of the road.

Work on the Chandni Chowk redevelopment project started on December 1, 2018. As per the plan, the 1.5-km stretch between Red Fort and Fatehpuri will have pavements to create 6-13 metre-wide pedestrian zones along the shops on either side of the road. It will also have street furniture, toilets, water ATMs, kiosks, etc on the central verge. A dedicated lane for non-motorised vehicles will also be made.

Last month, the DUAC had submitted a detailed report recommending major changes in the redevelopment plan, which is being monitored by the Delhi High Court. While some of the changes recommended by the DUAC regarding toilets and police posts have been implemented, the traders’ body has refused to accept the suggestions regarding shifting of transformers.

But the traders’ body has refused to accept the suggestion. Sanjay Bhargava, president of the Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, said, “We will not let any transform be installed on the pavements on the sides. In the past, a police post on the pavement was removed on the court’s order. There can’t be any encroachment or hurdle on pavements. We will strongly oppose any attempt to install the transformers on either side of the road.”

“The proposed utilities on the central verge will create a continuous trail of visual as well as physical obstruction. A linear succession of transformers will mar the aesthetics of the historic street and block the serial vision of the pedestrian,” the DUAC had said in its 17-page report.

According to a senior Delhi government official, a major concern with transformers is that the load has to be balanced between the South and the North side of Chandni Chowk. There are more shops and residential areas on the south side (behind Sis Ganj Gurudwara), but very little space to accommodate transformers.

Despite repeated attempts, Delhi L-G’s office and SDRC’s Deputy General Manager Nitin Panigrahi couldn’t be contacted for comments.