NEW DELHI: Traders, politicians and other stakeholders on Wednesday gathered at Town Hall in Chandni Chowk to discuss the ignored aspects of turning the place into the first pedestrian street by June 2019. The redevelopment work started on December 1, and, since then, several traders’ bodies have raised concerns over lack of consultation and traffic inconvenience caused to the visitors. 

Wednesday’s meeting, titled “Chandni Chowk redevelopment: problem and solutions”, was called by Heritage India Foundation — an organisation led by Union minister Vijay Goel. It was attended by North Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor Adesh Gupta and its standing committee chairperson Veena Virmani. 

Goel said they were not against the redevelopment, but a multiplicity of agencies has been creating hurdles in the revamp and leading to a slow death of Chandni Chowk. “What we need is an empowered unified agency to take decisions for Old Delhi. Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) has no teeth. Heritage character of the road should not be ruined,” he added. 

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