Delhi’s Meharchand Market may get a new lease of life soon

As per amendments, the municipalities issued detailed guidelines regularising commercial units, but confusion over the fate of refugee markets such as Meharchand and Amar Colony remained.

Meharchand Market in Lodhi Colony may be completely demolished and rebuilt as per residential norms of the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021, with commercial activities allowed on all permitted floors.

The Meharchand Market was set up for providing livelihood to Pakistani migrants in 1948 (HT Photo)

Once branded as Delhi’s next Khan Market — which housed designer stores, coffee shops and art galleries — Meharchand market was almost shut on orders from a Supreme Court-mandated monitoring committee in January 2018. Of the total 153 shops operating from the basements, mezzanines and upper floors, 135 were sealed for violating building norms and constructing beyond the permitted 150 FAR (Floor Area Ratio). Two banks were also asked to wind up, and all the shops remain sealed till date. The FAR denotes the maximum floor space that can be constructed on a given piece of land.

The Local Shopping Complexes (LSCs) in Delhi such as Defence Colony, Green Park and Hauz Khas were provided some relief on June 21, 2018, when the central government notified changes in the MPD-2021 relaxing norms for them.

As per amendments, the municipalities issued detailed guidelines regularising commercial units in LSCs, but confusion over the fate of refugee markets such as Meharchand and Amar Colony remained.

However, senior officials of the town planning department of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) say that they received a letter from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in November 2019, clarifying that the amendments are applicable to Meharchand Market as well, and therefore, an FAR of 350 (as opposed to 150) may now be provided to shopkeepers there.

“We have already had detailed discussion with the Meharchand Market Traders Association. They will first have to deposit a fine (up to R 1 lakh) with the monitoring committee for the illegal structures and raze them. Thereafter, as per residential norms, they can get building plans sanctioned with us, pay conversion charges to use them for commercial purposes and construct 3-4 floors with basement up to an FAR of 350,” said a senior town planning department of SDMC. He did not wish to be named.

“Our architecture department has already started preparing a ‘standard plan’ for the market, which will provide guidelines for elements like outer façade, glazing (display windows), columns, advertising boards, etc. This will provide a uniform look to the market just like Connaught Place with elements like a public corridor and ensure that it has a beautiful aesthetic look for the decades to come,” the official said.

The market association confirmed the developments. “We are willing to do anything to revive this market.

Currently, our basements, mezzanines and upper floors are all closed and the market is dead. We have spoken to the SDMC town planning officials and will demolish all the illegal structures and build anew as per their guidance for the market to become legal,” said Ashok Sakhuja, president of the Meharchand Market Traders Association.

“It is going to be a very expensive proposition for us. It takes about ₹30 lakh to demolish a ground and first floor shop and rebuild. Some of us might have to take loans from banks, but we have no option,” said Anil Choudhary, owner of Shyam Book Depot in the market.

Sameer Arora, who has let out his building to the Chona’s Restaurant and Bar in the market, said, “Some of us will have a huge problem as building owners will have to evict tenants (shopkeepers, cafeterias, etc.) and their staff to do the demolition and construction, but there is no other way.”