Delhi’s Chandni Chowk Town Hall to Become Global Heritage Centre

Delhi’s Town Hall complex in Chandni Chowk is set for redevelopment as a Global Heritage Centre under a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 20 September 2026. The agreement covers the 160-year-old Grade-I heritage complex, which includes the Press Building and an adjoining park spread over about 12,180 square metres.

Town Hall Complex

The Town Hall was built between 1860 and 1866 in Chandni Chowk, Delhi. It served as the headquarters of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi until 2010, when the civic body shifted to the Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Civic Centre. The complex remained partly vacant after the relocation.

Memorandum of Understanding and Ownership

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The ownership of the complex will remain with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi under the agreement. The initial term of the MoU is 30 years, with a provision for extension by another 30 years through mutual consent.

Project Features and Administrative Structure

The proposed Global Heritage Centre will include a museum and facilities for cultural and tourism activities. The redevelopment plan uses adaptive reuse, a conservation method that allows new functions while retaining historical and architectural features. The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation will conduct surveys, structural assessments, and prepare the Detailed Project Report for the project. A Joint Working Group with representatives from both organisations will review progress regularly.

Important Facts for Exams

• Grade-I heritage status is used for buildings of high historical and architectural value in India.
• Adaptive reuse is a conservation approach applied to old buildings for new public functions.
• The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is a local body responsible for civic administration in Delhi.
• Chandni Chowk is one of the oldest market areas in Old Delhi and contains several Mughal-era and colonial-era structures.

Heritage and Urban Conservation

Heritage redevelopment projects in India often combine conservation, tourism, and public use within protected structures. The Town Hall project falls within this framework through preservation of the existing complex and planned cultural use.