Since 2012, revamp plans on paper only
IN 2012, THEN COMMISSIONER OF UNIFIED CORPORATION KS MEHRA HAD MOOTED A SIMILAR PLAN TO DEVELOP THE TOWN HALL AS A CENTRE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
proposal to convert Town Hall into a boutique hotel and a museum is not new and has been on the corporation’s agenda since 2012— after the trifurcation the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the shifting of the civic body’s headquarter to Civic Centre .
However, a lack of coordination between the Centre and state government has led to the project not seeing the light of day.
In 2012, the last commissioner of the unified corporation KS Mehra had proposed a similar plan to develop the Town Hall as a centre of cultural heritage.
“The idea was to provide a wholesome family experience. It was to be developed into an attractive tourist destination of international standard, with facilities like museums, library, children activity room, light and sound programme on history of Delhi,” Mehra, who retired on May 2, 2012, said.
A senior official of North Corporation said that the project was approved by the tourism ministry in 2013 and the fund was to be released upon the submission of a detailed project report.
“However, it could not be executed due to change of government at the Centre and shuffling of officials concerned. The corporation had written to the centre but didn’t get any concrete response on it,” he said.
North Delhi Municipal Commissioner Praveen Gupta confirmed that the project was initially to be funded by Union tourism ministry but could not materialise. So it will now be developed in a public-private partnership mote.
Another official o claimed that the project this time will not suffer any roadblocks as the corporation was not depending upon any other agency for its development.