MCD begins assessment to restore historic Delhi Gate in Najafgarh
Taking note of the deteriorating condition of the historic Delhi Gate in Najafgarh, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has started assessing the extent of restoration required.
The development follows a letter by Najafgarh ward councillor Amit Kharkhari, who had flagged the condition of the notified heritage structure and sought urgent repair and conservation measures, an official said.
“An archaeologist has visited the site.
The scope of the work will be finalised after a detailed assessment,” a Heritage Cell official said.
In his letter dated April 23, the councillor had said the Delhi Gate, which holds historical and cultural significance, showed visible signs of structural damage and deterioration during earlier inspections conducted with civic officials and the Heritage Cell team in 2023-24.
Urging authorities to immediately repair the structure to prevent it from further decay and preserve its legacy, the councillor called for time-bound execution of the work.
Standing before the Delhi Gate in the crowded market in Najafgarh in West Delhi, it is hard to imagine that this was where a decisive battle was fought between the sepoys and the British on August 25, 1857.
The gate, built in 1770 as a part of the bastion of Najaf Khan, a powerful minister living in Delhi during the decline of Mughal rule, has been partially renovated with a new name: Vaid Kishori Lal Dwar.
However, like the city’s other landmarks that have been renamed, the older name has stuck.
The late Mughal-period red brick structure with pointed arches also has a plaque that says it was witness to the Battle of Najafgarh.
Today, without any protection from the Archaeological Survey of India, it shares its walls with the Municipal Corporation office next door and faces chaotic traffic, a marketplace and an animal hospital.
One thing, however, hasn’t changed: from the time of Najaf Khan to now, it is the centre of the neighbourhood.
Officials indicated that further technical evaluation will guide the conservation plan, as the civic body is evaluating the measures needed to stabilise and restore the heritage site.
The gate, which has a plaque to commemorate the martyrs of World War I, is covered with tiles now.
