The Delhi government has announced plans to redevelop Chandni Chowk’s historic Town Hall complex as a Global Heritage Centre, combining a museum and cultural and tourism facilities while retaining the site’s heritage identity.
The announcement followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) at the Delhi Secretariat on Sunday. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the Town Hall was “not merely a building” but an important part of Delhi’s history and heritage.
The proposed project will cover approximately 12,180 square metres across the Town Hall, the Press Building and the adjoining park in the Chandni Chowk and Shahjahanabad areas. According to the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office, the redevelopment will use an adaptive reuse approach, allowing the historic complex to accommodate new public functions while preserving its original architectural and heritage identity.
The Grade-I heritage complex was built between 1860 and 1866 and functioned as the headquarters of the civic body until the MCD shifted to the Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Civic Centre on Minto Road in 2010. A large part of the complex has remained vacant since then. The proposed redevelopment therefore involves not only conservation but also the conversion of an underused municipal property into a public-facing cultural and tourism destination.
Under the MoU, ownership of the historic complex will remain with the MCD. DTTDC has been assigned responsibility for conducting surveys, undertaking a structural assessment and preparing a Detailed Project Report. These steps are intended to establish the building’s condition and determine the scope and requirements of the proposed works before implementation decisions are taken.
The project’s financing and delivery model have not yet been finalised. The MoU provides for a subsequent decision on whether the Global Heritage Centre will be developed through public investment or a public-private partnership model. That decision will follow the preparation of the DPR, according to the statement.
The government has positioned the project within the wider tourism and cultural landscape of Old Delhi. The complex is located near the busy Chandni Chowk area and Old Delhi Railway Station, both of which attract large numbers of visitors. The official statement said the site had considerable potential for better utilisation because of its location and the volume of tourist movement around it.
Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said the government’s effort was to make historical monuments more attractive and useful for domestic and international tourists while preserving their heritage. The proposed facilities are expected to include museum space, cultural activities and tourism-related amenities, although the detailed programme will be established through the DPR.
The immediate next steps are the surveys, structural assessment and preparation of the Detailed Project Report by DTTDC. The government will then decide the project’s development and financing model.
