Kamla Market Renovation Deadline Extended to March 2024 | Delhi News

New Delhi: The deadline for completing the renovation of the façade of the ageing Kamla Market has been extended till March-end. The work was earlier scheduled to be finished by Dec or Jan.
In March, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) approved the first phase of the project, which included restoring and revamping the 73-year-old clock tower of the market.
While some basic work on painting the entrance and the tower was completed before the Lok Sabha elections, comprehensive restoration, including plaster repairs, standardisation of shop frontages and construction of toilet blocks, started only in Oct during the second phase, according to MCD officials.
“However, the implementation of GRAP regulations led to a temporary halt in the work. As of now, only the clock tower and entrance have undergone complete repairs and received a fresh coat of paint. We will resume work as soon as GRAP restrictions are lifted,” said an official.
“The current task includes repairing the front façade of all shops, painting with a uniform colour and reconstruction of toilet blocks after demolishing the existing ones at the market’s rear side, including one for women. The upgraded toilets will add to the convenience of visitors,” the official said, adding that the work, once completed, will give a fresh lease of life to the market.
At present, the outer plaster and the pillars in the common area of the market are badly damaged. In many places, the floor is broken. Moreover, haphazard loading and unloading of goods and random parking of vehicles add to the chaos.
In the second phase, it was initially decided to repair the walking area, signages and footpaths, but the plan has been put on hold for now, said the official.
Once the redevelopment is done, MCD aims to ensure there is no encroachment and the market is kept neat and clean.
Established in 1951, Kamla Market is situated next to Ajmeri Gate in central Delhi. Shops were allotted to refugees who came from Pakistan during Partition. The market was inaugurated by the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad. It soon became a hub for air coolers and later turned into a base for the city’s goods transporters.
However, due to a lack of proper maintenance and encroachment on the surrounding roads and common areas, walking in the market has become a challenge.