IndiaPosted at: Sep 20 2026 4:28PM


Chandni Chowk’s historic Town Hall to become Global Heritage Centre

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) The historic Town Hall complex in Chandni Chowk is set to be redeveloped as a Global Heritage Centre, with the Delhi government signing an MoU with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to conserve the Grade-I heritage property and give it a new role as a major hub for museums, culture and tourism.
The MoU was signed between the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), the nodal agency of the Tourism Department, and the MCD in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Delhi Secretariat on Sunday.
The redevelopment will cover the historic Town Hall, Press Building and the adjoining Park, while retaining the ownership of the approximately 12,180-square-metre complex with the civic body.
Gupta said the Town Hall was not merely an old building but an important part of Delhi's historical and architectural heritage. She said the government would preserve its heritage character while giving the complex a modern purpose through tourism and cultural activities.
The Chief Minister said the initiative would help give Old Delhi's heritage a new identity through tourism and create a major destination where visitors from India and abroad could experience its history and culture.
The Town Hall complex forms part of the historic Shahjahanabad-Chandni Chowk area and was constructed between 1860 and 1866. It served as the headquarters of the Municipal Corporation for several decades before the civic body shifted to the Dr S P Mukherjee Civic Centre on Minto Road in 2010. A substantial portion of the old complex has remained largely unused since then.
Under the proposed project, the heritage structures will undergo adaptive reuse, allowing them to be put to contemporary use without compromising their original architectural and historical character. The Global Heritage Centre is envisaged to house a museum and facilities for cultural and tourism-related activities.
The location of the complex, close to Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi Railway Station and in an area witnessing a heavy flow of visitors, is expected to add to its potential as a major heritage tourism destination.
Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said the project would provide fresh impetus to heritage tourism in Chandni Chowk.
“Our effort is to make historical monuments more attractive and useful for domestic and international tourists while preserving their heritage,” Mishra said.
As part of the agreement, DTTDC will undertake surveys and structural assessment of the buildings and prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The government will subsequently examine whether the project should be developed through public investment or under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
A Joint Working Group comprising representatives of DTTDC and the MCD will be constituted to periodically monitor the project's progress.
The initial tenure of the MoU has been fixed at 30 years, with a provision for its extension by another 30 years with mutual consent.
The agreement also provides that heritage material, archival documents, artefacts and historical records associated with the Town Hall will remain with the MCD. The conservation plan will therefore focus not only on the physical structure but also on preserving the historical material and legacy associated with the complex.
The project is being positioned as an effort to combine conservation with contemporary use, potentially turning a largely underutilised historic complex into a dedicated centre for Delhi's heritage, culture and tourism.
UNI PWS RSA
Tags: #Chandni Chowk’s historic Town Hall to become Global Heritage Centre
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