Historical Chandni Chowk is being redeveloped for last some years having been slow-down mainly because of complete stop of work during lockdown and sometime thereafter. But now almost complete redevelopment having been finished, some bottle-necks are left for reasons best known to concerned authorities. Entry and exit points at Red Fort crossing connecting Chandni Chowk are not yet given finishing touch as yet making only one side of two-sided road usable for both entry and exit that too with several road-blocks and a temporary gate which is usually closed even between 9 pm to 9am when vehicular traffic is allowed in Chandni Chowk. Connecting streets and roads like to Dariba and Bhagirath Palace are yet to be properly linked to redeveloped Chandni Chowk with road-blocks put at entry point to Dariba.
Redevelopment must also include encroachment-free connecting markets like Bhagirath Palace and Esplanade Road. Bhagirath Palace which used to be a posh residential locality of Old Delhi till about half-century back, has turned to be biggest wholesale markets of Asia for so many commodities like medicines, surgical goods, electricity and electronic items. But over-crowded and congested market has become a heaven for squatters and encroachers. Likewise only one side of wide two-sided Esplanade Road is used because of shopkeepers and transporters encroaching not only complete footpaths but even major part of the road. A joint drive by civic authorities and local police direct under supervision of authority responsible for redevelopment of Chandni Chowk should be launched to make Bhagirath Palace and Esplanade Road completely free from squatters and encroachers directing shopkeepers to keep their goods within their shops making footpaths and roads clear for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
MADHU AGRAWAL