Government to rename SRDC as Indraprastha Virasat Redevelopment Corporation

The Delhi Government is planning to rename Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC), the agency dedicated to restoring and revitalising the Walled City areas, as “Indraprastha Virasat Redevelopment Corporation”. The name change was proposed, finalised and approved at the last SRDC Board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on March 13 this year.

Indraprastha is the Mahabharata-era name of the present-day national capital, while SRDC is named after the Shahjahanabad city built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan, who also oversaw the construction of the iconic Jama Masjid and Red Fort in Old Delhi.

“The Board, after due consultations and deliberations, approved the proposal to change the name of the company from Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation to Indraprastha Virasat Redevelopment Corporation,” said an official document. With the board's approval, the only formality left now is the registration of the new name with the Registrar of Companies.

Several delegations had earlier met the chief minister and requested that the government rename the SRDC, officials said.

The chief minister said the time has come for a comprehensive restructuring and revival of the company. The government will not only change the board's name but also use it to accelerate the “real redevelopment” of Old Delhi and the Shahjahanabad area, she said. The Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation is a special purpose vehicle set up under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956.

It is tasked with protecting and conserving existing heritage sites, including ancient city walls, gates, bridges, vistas, public places, edicts and rock cut formations, and improving civic services such as water supply, sewerage, electricity supply and public transport to them.

In November 2025, during a corporation meeting, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk, Praveen Khandelwal, suggested the organisation should be rebuilt from the ground up and proposed alternative names such as “Indraprastha Redevelopment Corporation” and “Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Corporation.”