It’s about time the Capital’s many markets, some of them iconic, are given a facelift without eradicating their character
That the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has made plans to give a much-needed makeover to three of the Capital’s prominent markets, Yashwant Place in Chanakyapuri and Khanna Market (Lodi Road) in the first phase, followed by the iconic Khan Market soon after, doesn’t come a moment too soon. The deadline for completion of the facelift for the former two is March 2019 while the latter is expected to take three years to be completed, the civic agency’s chairman was quoted as having said in a newspaper report. Included in the NDMC’s makeover checklist is upping utility services, enforcing fire safety, revamp of common areas, refurbishment of façades, ensuring clean and functional toilets, improving parking arrangements, making these markets disable-friendly, provide WiFi facilities and installing street furniture in open areas. These are all laudable aims and we wish them Godspeed but it must be kept in mind that the ambience and character of these markets should not be given the heave-ho in a headlong rush to modernise them. For example, regarding the Khan Market facelift, the NDMC has apparently approached the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for allotting a plot to construct a multi-level parking facility on the leafy and winding Amrita Shergil Marg to cater to people who visit the market which would be a disaster for the beautiful, open vista of this part of Lutyens’ Delhi. It may also be a good idea to consult the very active market associations in these markets who would be able to highlight local requirements rather than adopt a statist, directed-from-above approach.
But these prominent markets are not the only ones in Delhi which need attention. Six years ago, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had come out with plans to give a facelift to smaller, local colony markets, established to service daily needs of residents, which were in a dilapidated condition and victims of years of neglect. Though the DDA had allocated Rs 10 lakh to each market to try and address issues of encroachments, lack of parking space, poor lighting and water leakages, there is no discernible difference which has been made. Shopkeepers have extended their shops on to pavements and maintenance of common areas remains a big bone of contention. There have been some comparatively successful efforts at makeovers of New Delhi markets such as the one of Bengali Market which was established in 1930 but had a few years ago fallen into a disrepair with its narrow lanes pockmarked with wide holes, poor lighting and the defunct fountain on the roundabout which served as an open-air garbage dump. Maintenance could be better, of course, but the comparatively small market has had a rebirth of sort since.