Delhi's historic Chandni Chowk Town Hall to become Global Heritage Centre
The historic Town Hall complex in Delhi will be redeveloped as a Global Heritage Centre with a museum and spaces for cultural and tourism activities, while its Grade-I heritage status is preserved. An MoU for the project was signed on Sunday between the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the Delhi Secretariat.
According to an official statement, the project will cover the Town Hall, Press Building and Park spread across around 12,180 square metres in the Chandni Chowk and Shahjahanabad areas. The redevelopment plan proposes adaptive reuse of the historic structures while retaining their original heritage and architectural character.
The Town Hall complex was built between 1860 and 1866 and served as the headquarters of the municipal corporation for many years before the civic body shifted to the Dr SP Mukherjee Civic Centre in 2010. Since then, a large part of the complex has remained largely vacant. Under the MoU, ownership of the property will remain with the MCD, while the heritage structures will be conserved and developed for tourism and cultural activities.
The proposed Global Heritage Centre will include a museum and facilities for cultural and tourism activities. Located near Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi Railway Station, the complex is expected to offer domestic and international visitors a single space to experience Delhi's history, heritage and culture, the statement said.
The tourism department has been given the task of conducting surveys, carrying out a structural assessment and preparing a Detailed Project Report for the redevelopment. The project may later be taken up through public investment or under the public-private partnership model. A Joint Working Group with representatives from the DTTDC and MCD will regularly review progress. The initial term of the MoU is 30 years and can be extended by another 30 years with mutual consent. Heritage material, archival material, artefacts and historical records linked to the Town Hall will remain with the MCD.
Gupta said the Town Hall is an important part of Delhi's history and heritage and that the government is committed to preserving its historical and architectural identity while linking it with modern tourism and cultural activities. Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said developing the Town Hall, Press Building and Park as a Global Heritage Centre would give "a new impetus to heritage tourism in the area". "Our effort is to make historical monuments more attractive and useful for domestic and international tourists while preserving their heritage," he said. Delhi Mayor Pravesh Wahi and senior officials of the concerned departments were also present at the MoU signing ceremony.
The project aims to bring the long-vacant Town Hall complex back into public use through conservation and tourism-led redevelopment, while keeping ownership and heritage material with the civic body.- EndsWith PTI inputsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 20, 2026 19:48 IST
