Union Minister Vijay Goel initiates Save Old Delhi Heritage Campaign

New Delhi: Former Delhi BJP President and Union Minister Vijay Goel today held a press conference to highlight the deplorable and dangerous condition of Old Delhi areas especially Chandni Chowk. Goel stated that Chandni Chowk which was once considered the Jewel in the Crown of Delhi has lost its glory and is on the verge of collapse with rampant illegal construction and zero-planning to ease out the ever-growing pressure caused due to traffic mismanagement, hoardings placed in a haphazard manner and many more issues. Goel said that all this has led to a chaotic situation in the old quarters of Delhi and the future generations will never get to witness the real beauty of these places in the years to come.

Addressing the Media, Goel said, “It is sad that the Delhi government and the Shahjahanabad Development Board which are responsible to change the face of Chandni Chowk have done nothing which has only aggravated the situation and we are witnessing alarming levels of mismanagement”.

Goel further said that the beautiful havelis of Chandni Chowk are in shambles and turning into rubble and no one is bothered to conserve, restore and preserve them. All these prevailing issues prompted Goel to initiate the “Save Old Delhi Heritage” campaign. Goel had met senior MCD officials and Shahjahanabad Development Board Commissioner to enlighten them about these conditions and also highlight the fact how builder mafia and some sections with vested interests are razing old havelis illegally to make space for commercials hubs. Goel said, “Some of these spots, havelis etc. cannot be demolished or modified as per rules and regulations. 551 Havelis were notified and it is surprising that in some cases even the owners of these properties are clueless about notification. Out of these 551, 526 are located in Chandni Chowk itself”.

Goel stated that he had even suggested the Commissioner to issue advertisements in newspapers saying that any person found hampering the original structure of the notified havelis will face strict action, but till date nothing has been done in this regard. The Shahjahanabad Development Board under the Delhi Government has failed miserably to restore the lost glory of Old Delhi especially Chandni Chowk.

Lakhs of tourists, including foreign nationals throng Chandni Chowk and with the despicable condition, the impression is going down it seems. There is absolutely zero planning by Centre, State and even MCD but with each having a set of different rules, it is difficult even for those who wish to safeguard the rich cultural heritage and work in this regard. Goel further stated that Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia has failed to utilize his power and hasn’t implemented any changes devised by the Shahjahanabad Board.

It must be noted that Union Minister Vijay Goel is also the owner of Haveli Dharampura situated in Old Delhi which he had purchased and restored to convert into a heritage hotel and restaurant.