The revamped Chandni Chowk was inaugurated on September 12 by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Though it was supposed to be inaugurated on April 17, the redevelopment works had been delayed due to the Covid-19.
CM Kejriwal said that the entire market would be converted into a tourist hub during the inaugural ceremony. And street food joints would operate till midnight fuelling both the tourism and business sectors.
The 1.5-km stretch from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Masjid has been tiled with red sandstone, its sides colourful with flowerpots, punctuated with benches for the tired feet.
Dangling wires, broken roads and traffic congestion that are well-suited while imagining Chandni Chowk have been fixed to make it look beautiful and aesthetically appealing.
Refurbished by the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) and Delhi’s Public Works Department (PWD), the renovated Chandni Chowk has been made a pedestrian-friendly corridor with a 2.5-metre-wide footpath. Therefore, the stretch has been made a “no traffic zone” for motorised vehicles between 9 am and 9 pm. One would be liable to pay Rs 20,000 if they violate this rule.
The area has become more visitor-friendly with new facilities like more ATMs, toilets, drinking water, and more dustbins.
Besides controlling traffic, 124 CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed, 197 electric poles and the dangling wires have been transferred underground.
During the visit of NRI Vision to Chandni Chowk, we have seen visitors flocking the area like pre-pandemic era. Some were spotted in a line to relish delectable items by over 100 years old food joints, and some were busy making their way out from the market after binge shopping.
