New Delhi: Concerned with the deplorable and dangerous condition of Old Delhi, especially Chandni Chowk, Union MoS for statistics and programme implementation Vijay Goel on Wednesday launched the “Save Old Delhi Heritage” campaign.
According to former Delhi BJP president, Mr Goel, Chandni Chowk which was once considered the jewel in the crown of the national capital has lost its glory and is on the verge of collapse.
The charm of the Old City has been killed due to rampant illegal construction, lack of planning, ever-growing traffic due to mismanagement, hoardings placed in a haphazard manner and many more issues.
“All this has led to a chaotic situation in the old Delhi and the future generations will never get to witness the beauty and glory of these places. It is indeed sad that the Delhi government and the Shahjahanabad Development Board, which are responsible to change the face of Chandni Chowk, have done nothing. This has only aggravated the situation and we are witnessing alarming levels of mismanagement,” said Mr Goel.
He said the havelis of Chandni Chowk are in shambles today. Lack of timely repair are turning them into rubble. It is a pity that no one is bothered to conserve, restore and preserve them.
Mr Goel said that all these prevailing issues have prompted him to initiate the “Save Old Delhi Heritage” campaign.
Mr Goel claimed that he had met senior MCD officials and Shahjahanabad Development Board commissioner to enlighten them about these conditions and also inform them about the fact how builder mafia and some other vested interests illegally are razing down old havelis to make space for commercials hubs.
“Some of these old city havelis cannot be demolished or modified as per rules and regulations. As many as 551 havelis were notified and it is surprising that in some cases even the owners of these properties are clueless about the notification. Out of these 551, 526 are located in Chandni Chowk alone," Mr Goel added.
Mr Goel said that the Shahjahanabad Development Board under the Delhi government has failed miserably to restore the lost glory of Old Delhi, especially its jewel Chandni Chowk.
According to former Delhi BJP president, Vijay Goel, Chandni Chowk, which was once considered the jewel in the crown of the national capital, has lost its glory and is on the verge of collapse
