In a bid to reinstate the cultural and historical importance of the Capital, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has decided to give a facelift to the heritage building of Gole Market by converting it into a museum. Envisaging about the completion of work, building will be restored by September, 2018.
The work procedure involves architectural restoration of historic edifice, creation of a central food court and provision of other public facilities such as well designed toilets, drinking water, information signs, directional signs, benches and fountains will be provided within the courtyard.
Comprising of 12 sided central market with six entrances and a central open court, enwreathed by three circular colonnaded markets on the southern outskirts, the Central Market is now referred to as Gole Market, with six entrances into the central courtyard.
“Display materials based on the socio-economic, cultural and political aspects and conditions of pre- and post-independent period of the country including the contribution and sacrifice of our great freedom fighters would be depicted in the museum,” said Naresh Kumar, the Chairperson, NDMC.
“The purpose of conservation of this building is not to freeze its current status but to adopt it to a modern use of modern facilities sensitively. Site improvement of the historic district, incentives for adaptive reuse and tools for management and stakeholder participation will be skillfully executed and the maintenance of the building will be ideally tackled by daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual routines”, he added.
Built as a subsidiary market to the prime business centre of Connaught Place, the market is designed to serve the needs of the residential population, primarily centered on grain, milk, vegetable and general market.
The museum will provide an opportunity for free discussion and dialogue and will help target groups like teachers, adults, youth and woman organisations through interactive discussions on the Government programmes and activities for the promotion and better understanding of its heritage and its agenda for national growth and development.