Chandni Chowk redevelopment project first phase to go pedestrian by September end

The PWD will pave the pedestrian corridors, illuminate the area, plant a variety of trees and place sandstone street furniture on the stretch.

The Chandni Chowk redevelopment project has finally started to take shape with the Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD) starting streetscaping work on the first 400-metre, out of the 1.5-km stretch, between Red Fort and Fountain Chowk on Tuesday.

Streetscaping work on the 400m stretch started Tuesday. It will have pedestrian corridors and a variety of trees. (HT FILE)

PWD officials said as part of the first phase of the redevelopment project, the 400-metre stretch will be completely pedestrianised by September end.

The PWD will pave the pedestrian corridors, illuminate the area, plant a variety of trees and place sandstone street furniture on the stretch. An official of Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation—the authority responsible for supervising the redevelopment work— said the work on constructing a tunnel for installing various utilities and other services has already been completed on the entire stretch.

“After the sub-surface work was completed in May, we have now started the work to finish the first 400-metre of the main stretch,” Nitin Panigrahi, deputy general manager, SRDC, said.

Panigarhi added, “All work on the sample stretch of the project— a 12-metre long stretch opposite Dariba Kalan—was completed earlier this month and approved at the last board meeting of the SRDC held on August 7. The sample stretch is also disabled-friendly.”

“The chief minister office gave instructions that work on the 400-metre zone should be completed by September 15. The contractor has expedited the work and we are hopeful that it will be over soon,” Sanjay Bhargava, president of Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal said.

While SRDC and the Delhi lieutenant governor (L-G) Anil Baijal are yet to decide on the location of the 22 transformers, the SRDC official said the work on the 400-metre stretch will be completed on time as no transformers are proposed here.

The matter regarding the location of at least 22 transforms will be discussed at the meeting chaired by Delhi L-G on Friday. On August 7, the SRDC had decided that the location of the transformers will not be changed.

“Installing footpaths for pedestrians is a priority for us. By putting up transformers on this 400-metre long stretch, we would have occupied some of the very precious space meant for pedestrians,” Pradeep Sachdeva, urban designer and architect of the project, said.

“In this case we needed the footpaths to prioritized for the pedestrians. By putting transformers we would be eating into very precious pedestrian spac

The Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) had challenged SRDC’s decision to install transformers on the central verge. The Delhi High court had recently ordered the Delhi L-G to take a final call on the matter.

According to the revised plan, toilets and police posts have been moved towards the footpath and the first transformer between Red Fort and Fountain Chowk has been shifted to Esplanade road.