New Delhi, Apr 18 (KNN) Despite various drives to free old Delhi’s busy Chandni Chowk area from illegal constructions, garbage dumps and traffic jams, the mess at the historic market is showing no signs of improvement.

Multi-storeyed construction at the old buildings, pick-pocketing, garbage dump, jam packed roads, no space for pedestrians are the irritants for both the traders and the customers there.

Talking to KNN, a textile exporter, US Kohli said, “Trucks come here for loading and unloading of goods all day through. But the problem is not the trucks alone. This is not just the retailers market, it is also the wholesalers market so the goods have to be sent and received all day through. If the infrastructure is improved and the small vehicles are allowed, it would be of great help.”

He said there is a problem of pick-pocketing and chain snatching is here but the police needs to take care of it because the market is always fully crowded.

Further, one trader from the area said, “The problem of illegal construction is here. But the root cause is that neither the tenant nor the owner wants to put their money into it. The owners who have been charging nominal rent since years fear of encroachment due to which they don’t want to spend on infrastructure of the building and the tenant doesn’t want to stop their business for repair nor do they want to put in money into someone else’s property.”

In April first week, the Delhi high court had ordered Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) to remove encroachments and illegal religious structures from Chandni Chowk.

The High Court had given the board a deadline of three weeks to take appropriate action.

"The public has to be convinced that the removal of encroachments will be beneficial for their business. With Jama Masjid and Lal Quila metro stations coming up, the foot fall is going to increase so there should be space to walk for visitors," said Nitin Panigrahi, deputy general manager (project and administration), SRDC, according to a media report.

He has also been appointed as the nodal officer by the court to see that the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Police and Public Works Department (PWD) work in tandem to revive the historic area.

Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Vibha Bakhru had directed the north Delhi civic body to prepare a time table in a week and take action against illegal constructions in the next two weeks. The court said that the removal of garbage and debris should not be a one-time exercise but must be undertaken continuously with frequent monitored. The court has ordered to repair immediately the non-motorised lanes on the Shyama Prasad Mukherji Marg opposite the Old Delhi Railway Station.

An encroachment demolition drive was to begin from April 6. The court has demanded that a status report be submitted on the date of the next hearing on April 30.

In 2011, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi high court, seeking action against 147 alleged illegal properties. But in the past five years, nothing has changed on the ground. (KNN Bureau)