The Hindu : New Delhi News : A new heritage museum for Old Delhi

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Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008
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A new heritage museum for Old Delhi

Staff Reporter

Will be located at Lahori Gate; to house a heritage library and a research centre

Museum will trace Old Delhi’s history from the Mughal to the Independence period
A dedicated interactive website on the Walled City would also be developed

NEW DELHI: To revive and showcase the glorious heritage of Chandni Chowk in the Walled City of Delhi, Mayor Arti Mehra on Tuesday announced the development of a heritage museum of Shahajahanabad and tourist information centre.

To be developed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the complex would be located at Lahori Gate and would also boast a heritage library and a research centre.

Old charm

Addressing a press conference, the Mayor said earlier an effort was made in 2004 by the then Member of Parliament Vijay Goel to establish a heritage museum at Lahori Gate to revive the old charm and attraction of Shahjahanabad -- the Walled City established by emperor Shahjahan in the 17th Century.

“The MCD is now making special efforts to revive the heritage of Old Delhi by tracing its history from the Mughal to the Independence period through the museum. An advisory board would be constituted for development of the museum and tourist orientation centre.”

Advisory board

Mr. Vijay Goel, who was also present at the press conference and has been nominated chairman of the Advisory Board, pledged Rs.50 lakh from his MP fund for the project. Two municipal councillors and two senior officers would also be nominated to the Board.

In addition, a dedicated interactive website on the Walled City would also be developed.

Elaborating on the features of the heritage museum, Ms. Mehra said the history of Walled City would be depicted through the main periods of pre-Mughal, Mughal, First War of Independence of 1857, British trade from 1857 – 1947, Post Independence from 1947 – 2008 and Redevelopment from 2008 onward.

Broad themes

The broad themes and sections covered in the museum would comprise architecture, city planning, trade and crafts, habitat, heritage, transportation, municipal governance, transportation, people and cuisine.

Ms. Mehra said the museum would also serve as an orientation centre for both domestic and international tourists visiting Old Delhi.

Interest revival

“Through organised and informal tourism, tourists would be first oriented about the heritage and thereafter actual tours would be conducted to make them visit the heritage sites and experience its intangible heritage. This would help revive interest in the history of the old city, its heritage and people once again. We have already planned to exhibit 60 paintings depicting the beautiful heritage of Chandni Chowk at the museum,” she added.

A heritage library and a research centre would also be established as an integral part of the heritage museum for conducting research and field studies.

According to the Mayor, the project will be inaugurated on August 31 and outsourced on a build-operate-transfer basis.

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