{
  "id": 8725553,
  "title": "Chandni Chowk’s Town Hall building to be redeveloped as Global Heritage Centre",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/chandni-chowks-town-hall-building-to-be-redeveloped-as-global",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-20T16:40:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/delhi/chandni-chowk-town-hall-redevelopment-global-heritage-centre-dttdc-mcd-10886520/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The historic Town Hall building in Chandni Chowk, which stood as the headquarters of the municipal corporation for over a century, is set to undergo a redevelopment project. Signed on Sunday, the agreement officially transfers the responsibility of conserving and redeveloping the heritage building as a Global Heritage Centre to the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Constructed in the 1860s, the Victorian-era building initially served as the home for the Lawrence Institute, featuring a museum, reading room, and library. It was acquired by the civic body in 1866. Prior to its relocation to the Dr S P Mukherjee Civic Centre in 2010, the building had been vacant for a significant period. The MoU was signed between DTTDC, the Tourism Department's nodal agency, and the MCD at the Delhi Secretariat, attended by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, and Mayor Pravesh Wahi. The government aims to preserve the building's historical and architectural identity while integrating it with modern tourism and cultural activities. The complex, covering around 12,180 square meters, will remain under the MCD's ownership. The heritage structures will be conserved and developed to serve tourism and cultural activities, including the creation of a museum and tourism-related facilities. The project will employ adaptive reuse techniques, maintaining the building's original heritage character. The DTTDC is responsible for conducting surveys, assessing the structure, and preparing a detailed project report. A joint working group, consisting of representatives from DTTDC and MCD, will oversee the project's progress, with the initial term of the MoU extending to 60 years with mutual consent.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Historic Town Hall in Chandni Chowk to be redeveloped as Global Heritage Centre.",
    "Victorian-era building, constructed in 1860s, served as Lawrence Institute museum.",
    "MoU signed for 60-year preservation and adaptive reuse project."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}