Delhi Metro to launch India’s first 3-coach train corridor on Lajpat Nagar-Saket G Block routeAfter nearly two decades, the Jama Masjid street improvement plan has gained fresh momentum with Delhi's Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Verma ordering resuming of the of the long-delayed road repair work on the narrow and congested Chandni Chowk-Jama Masjid stretch. Officials familiar with the development stated that Verma has set a deadline of July to complete the repairs, particularly focusing on areas requiring drainage improvements.
The major projects under the revamp will involve removing the top layer of the road, recarpeting with bitumen, potential road widening, horticulture, and the addition of basic heritage elements. The PWD has already issued tenders for the project. “This project has been delayed for several years due to multiple changes. While repairing the stretch, we may try to widen the road as much as possible,” a PWD official was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Reason for delay in Jama Masjid road revamp
Initially, the road work was part of a larger redevelopment plan for the Jama Masjid area, which was first proposed in 2004 to restore the mosque and its surrounding area. A detailed plan was submitted to the Delhi High Court in 2006 and approved by the Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) in 2009. After the trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the project was handed over to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation. In 2012, the responsibility shifted to the PWD, and eventually to the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC).
To speed up the plan’s execution, SRDC divided the detailed project report (DPR) into two parts in August 2019. One part focused on the areas surrounding the mosque, including Meena Bazar, Urdu Bazar, and the approach roads leading to the mosque, while the other concerned the main monument precincts within the walled mosque area.
“Street improvement work was part of the first phase of the project. The second phase involves preparing a new DPR for the redevelopment of the Jama Masjid precincts. This is the work we plan to begin soon,” the official explained.
Jama Masjid's strctural woes
Jama Masjid, India’s grandest mosque, continues to suffer from disrepair, congestion, and poor sanitation. Built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656, the mosque is not a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), with maintenance responsibility lying with the Delhi Waqf Board.
However, ASI has occasionally conducted repairs since 1956, although it has not been involved in recent conservation efforts. In May of last year, the finial of the mosque’s central dome was damaged during a heavy rainstorm, and in June 2021, a slab of red sandstone from the minaret collapsed, damaging the courtyard below.
Other challenges include the narrow approach roads and the presence of shops and residential areas near the mosque’s main entrance. The area, which includes markets and eateries, also struggles with sanitation issues.
Redevelopment plan
The second phase of the project, which has not yet begun, focuses on the redevelopment of the Jama Masjid area and its surroundings. The initial proposal for this phase included the renovation of several nearby mausoleums, such as Dargah Sheikh Kalimullah, Hare Bhare Shah Mazaar, Ubhre Shah Mazaar, and the mausoleum of General Shah Nawaz Khan of the Indian National Army, along with improvements at Meena Bazaar.
The redevelopment plan envisions the construction of walkways, plazas, pedestrian pathways on all approach roads, common utility ducts, underground drainage, improved lighting, firefighting facilities, the removal of overhead electric cables, and surface development of roads and footpaths. Additionally, the plan includes signage, horticulture, street furniture, and street art to enhance the area’s appeal.