MCD to hold summer circuit heritage circuit walks in Delhi

MCD will host morning heritage walks and seminars from May to July, exploring Delhi's historical sites with no fees, just entry ticket costs.

New Delhi

A view of ruins inside the Feroz Shah Kotla during a MCD heritage walk in 2024. (HT Archive)

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD’s) heritage cell will hold a series of morning heritage walks and seminars on select Saturdays from May to July, to celebrate and chart the evolution of Delhi through its historical sites, senior municipal officials sad.

Officials said that the walks will be held in early morning hours due to rising temperatures, as part of a “Summer Circuit”.

“These events will be held on the first and third Saturdays, two events will be held every month starting May, until July. Walks are being planned at Lal kot Quila, dubbed the first Delhi, Qutub Complex, and Feroz Shah Kotla Fort; we will also explore the remaining gates of the walled city of Shahjahanabad,” a senior official, who did not wish to be named, said.

Official said that e-bikes may be used in some instances, where long distances need to be covered. “We will take visitors to the surviving sections of the wall of Shahjahanabad and its remaining gates at Kashmiri Gate, Dilli Gate, and Turkman Gate, among others. E-bikes will be used to cover long distances. We will invite experts to narrate the tale of Shahjahanabad and the role and history of these gates,” the official said.

“The walks in June will cover the Humayun’s Tomb and the journey of Town Hall at Chandni Chowk,” the official said.

The Town Hall built between 1861 and 1866, and modelled as the “city centre” in Victorian Britain. The construction of the Town Hall building at Chandni Chowk was completed in 1866 and the municipality operated from the iconic building for 145 years, until 2011-12, before shifting to the Civic Centre on Minto Road.

The decision to undertake the heritage walks was taken at review meeting held last week by MCD commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar

The MCD official cited above said that the corporation will not charge a fee for these events, but participants will have to buy tickets at sites that where an entry fee is charged.

A second official said that Delhi also has rock edicts from the Ashoka period, and a heritage walk will focus on remains of the Ashokan Era. “There are surviving pillars and rock edicts in Prakrit. The walk in Julywill focus on these,” the official said.

The civic body held similar series of walks in 2024 winter, covering the Feroz Shah Kotla, and “sub-cities” of Qutub Minar, Siri, Tughlqabad, Jahanpanah, Firozobad, are around Purana Qila, Shahjahanabad and New Delhi.