LG, Vardhan review Chandni Chowk redevelopment works

Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and Union Minister Harsh Vardhan today reviewed the progress of the works for the redevelopment of the Chandni Chowk and Jama Masjid area.
The Secretary of the Public Works Development told the duo that the issues related to the shifting and relocation of old water and sewerage lines of Delhi Jal Board, MTNL godowns and police posts, etc. Have been resolved and that the project is on track.
At present, redevelopment work is being carried out which is geared towards clearing up the Chandni Chowk vista.
The Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) told LG and Vardhan, who is the MP from Chandni Chowk constituency, that the proposed tram project there shall be completed in three years.

The feasibility study for the tram project shows that it has a ridership potential of 1 lakh people per day with 5,000 people expected to travel on trams hourly in each direction at peak time.
The proposed tram-line is expected to be 4.55-km long and will run in a loop in the Chandni Chowk area. A total of six trams with two coaches each will run in this loop -- three in either direction at an interval of 2-3 minutes.

The tram will take approximately 15 minutes to cover the entire route. The project is expected to go a long way towards decongesting the area and allowing for easy and pollution-free movement.

The other issues discussed on the day included restoration of the fountain in the Chandni Chowk area, developing a state- of-the-art parking facility at Dangal Maidan and upgrading the existing parking at Gandhi Maidan. Vardhan assured all support for resolving matters related to parking and encroachment.
Besides, a review was also done on the redevelopment of Jama Masjid. The MD of Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation said that an MoU shall be signed between SRDC and PWD, who have been entrusted with the task of executing works related to the redevelopment of the Jama Masjid precinct. The MoU will clearly spell out the modalities and timelines for putting the project on the fast track.