Delhi govt starts upgrade work on Chandni Chowk ‘katras’

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board is upgrading civic infrastructure in Chandni Chowk's "katras," starting with a pilot in Ballimaran.

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (Dusib) has started work on upgrading basic civic infrastructure in “katras” located in Chandni Chowk, beginning with a pilot covering five “katras” in the Ballimaran area, officials said.

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (Dusib) has started work on upgrading basic civic infrastructure in “katras” located in Chandni Chowk

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A “katra” is a gated cluster of residential and commercial units, designed as small, self-contained, trade-specific courtyards.

The move comes as part of a broader effort to address longstanding issues related to sanitation, drainage, structural safety and access in the densely built neighbourhoods of Shahjahanabad, where residential clusters are organised into “kuchas” (lanes) and “katras” (enclosed housing blocks).

Officials said the project will focus on improving essential services such as sewer lines, water supply networks, paving of internal pathways, street lighting and waste management systems. “The idea is to take up a cluster-based redevelopment of katras, starting with five in Ballimaran, and then scale up across the Chandni Chowk area,” a senior DUSIB official said.

The “katras”, many of which fall under Dusib’s jurisdiction, have seen significant changes in occupancy patterns over the years, with a large number of units changing ownership without formal authorisation. While licence fees for these units remain nominal, recovery from current occupants has been limited due to their irregular status, officials said.

Data available with the board shows that there are around 2,422 such “katras” in the area, where maintenance responsibilities have increasingly fallen on the government despite the properties being occupied by private individuals. Officials said the board currently spends close to ₹2 crore annually on repair works in these clusters, while the revenue collected remains comparatively low.

“The existing infrastructure in many katras is old and requires urgent attention. Through this plan, we aim to upgrade civic amenities in a systematic manner. The pilot in Ballimaran will help us assess the challenges on the ground before expanding the project,” the official said.

The redevelopment plan will take into account the structure of Shahjahanabad, where narrow lanes and high-density habitation pose logistical challenges for conventional infrastructure works, officials said, adding that special emphasis is being laid on ensuring minimal disruption to residents during execution.

The initiative is also being aligned with broader urban renewal efforts in Chandni Chowk and adjoining areas, which have seen recent interventions aimed at pedestrian-friendly area, facade improvement and traffic decongestion. In the past, structurally unsafe “katras” have been demolished, with eligible occupants rehabilitated in alternative housing provided by the government. However, officials indicated that the current plan focuses on in-situ improvement of existing infrastructure rather than relocation.

“We are working on a comprehensive framework that addresses both immediate infrastructure gaps and long-term sustainability of these settlements,” the official said.

The board is expected to finalise timelines and tendering processes for the initial phase in the coming weeks, following which on-ground work in the identified katras of Ballimaran will begin.