NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday inaugurated newly redeveloped Chandni Chowk market and said the area will be made a tourist hub by allowing food joints to function till midnight.
“We have noticed that pedestrians come here at night to experience the deep-rooted legacy of these streets. Street food joints will be allowed to open for three-four more hours till 12 am so that people can come here in the night and enjoy. Lots of street food joints will be opened after closure of the market,” said Kejriwal after unveiling the name plaque of revamped Mughal-era market.
Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain and MLA Parlad Singh Sawhney and senior officials of PWD were present at the function.
The chief minister also inspected the facilities provided to the public.
“In the entire world, when someone speaks of Delhi, they remember Chandni Chowk for sure. Chandni Chowk’s image some time before was of broken roads, traffic jams and electric wires hanging all around. Overall, Chandni Chowk had a very dirty image. In the last three years, Delhi government has carried out the redevelopment and beautification project in Chandni Chowk and all the people are loving it,” said Kejriwal.
He said that not just the Chandni Chowk residents but people from across the city are coming to see the beautified stretch now.
The 1.4km stretch from Red Fort to Fatehpuri Mosque has been beautified besides resolving traffic problems, installing CCTVs and removing overhead power cables and laying them underground.
Speaking on waterlogging issues, the CM said, “As for the waterlogging, I have said it earlier as well that the drainage system throughout Delhi needs to be fixed. We got this idiosyncratic drainage system as a gift from the previous governments. It needs time to fix the problems. I can assure you that after some years you won’t see waterlogging anywhere in Delhi.”
Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said, “All the major problems of the area, like roads and overhanging wires, have been dealt with. We will give further facelift to the entire area.”