ASI to restore Daryaganj section of Shahjahanabad wall in Delhi

New DelhiThe Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to undertake repair and restoration of the Daryaganj section of the Shahjahanabad city wall over the next three months, and is likely to spend around ₹67 lakh on the conservation project, senior officials aware of the matter said

New Delhi

The collapsed portion of the wall. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has decided to undertake repair and restoration of the Daryaganj section of the Shahjahanabad city wall over the next three months, and is likely to spend around ₹67 lakh on the conservation project, senior officials aware of the matter said. The agency has invited tenders for the project and the bidding process is likely to be completed by July 23.

In a report in December 2025, HT flagged that several sections of the protected wall had fallen off, while others were in danger of being encroached upon.

A senior official, who did not wish to be named, said the agency will spend ₹43.48 lakh on procuring materials for the wall, while it will spend ₹ ₹23 lakh on skilled labour and security for the structure. “Coursed and random rubble stones will be used in the process, along with brick aggregates mixed with lime, for the restoration work on the damaged section of the wall. We will use traditional construction methods using ‘belgiri’, ‘gur sheera’ and gum for binding the material,” the official said.

Elaborating on the materials and process, the officials said “belgiri (wood apple)” is added to the lime mixture to prevent premature carbonation and improve structural sustainability while “gur sheera (jaggery/molasses)” acts as a powerful plasticiser and water retardant, slowing the curing time of lime to improve resistance to weathering. Around 250 cubic metres of stone aggregates are expected to be used in the process.

HT, in a report titled “Barely standing: The Wall of Walled City” on December 8, 2025, reported that the city wall, rebuilt using sandstone in 1657, was stressed and scarred by encroachments, causing sections to fall off. Shahjahanabad, the seventh historic city of Delhi, was set up as a domain enclosed within a formidable 13-metre-high and six-kilometre-wide stone-and-rubble wall. Thirteen monumental gateways and 14 smaller wicket gates punctuated this fortification, sealing the city’s boundary. Its decline started with the British conquest, and continued due to civic neglect, unchecked construction, and layers of everyday urban life pressing against its stones.

The Daryaganj section of the wall—often described as the best preserved—is also in distress. During a spot check along the 1.4-km stretch, HT found sections falling apart, rubble spilling onto parked vehicles, and portions swallowed by careless urban growth. Makeshift temples nestle into its arches, electricity transformers lean against the stone and visitors to a nearby hospital sit in waiting areas carved out of ancient recesses of the wall. Two large sections were also found to have collapsed.

Construction has also increased the load on the ancient stonework. Sewage water leaks through several joints, further weakening it.

In August 2025, three labourers died when a building collapsed along the wall in Daryaganj. A large hole that was created by that collapse is currently covered with tin sheets. Then, the ASI stated that it will check if the said portion falls under its jurisdiction and will accordingly assess the damage.

Red Fort to close for a month

The ASI is also undertaking repair work on the wall of the Red Fort in preparation for the August 15 celebrations. The fort has been closed to the public from Wednesday until August 15. Tourists will not be allowed to enter the historic monument during this period.

In an order restricting public entry to the Red Fort for a month, citing security arrangements and preparations for the Independence Day event, the ASI said, “In exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 5 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites Rules, 1959, it is hereby directed that the Red Fort will remain closed for the public and general visitors from July 15 till August 15, until the end of the Independence Day celebrations.”