A decade-long wait for the facelift of Gole Market’s heritage building has finally ended, as its custodian, New Delhi Municipal…
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A decade-long wait for the facelift of Gole Market’s heritage building has finally ended, as its custodian, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), has given approval for its overhaul.
The market building, that dates back to the pre-independence era, will be converted into a museum by September 2018, (another deadline). It will depict the culture and history of the city since its birth as the imperial capital of British India.
"We are trying to restore its old charm. We don't want to do any major alteration. The heritage building will house a museum, along with an art gallery, to showcase Delhi's history," said a senior official in NDMC.
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According to him the museum will have historical artefacts, old maps, and mementoes from the pre and post-independence periods. The museum will also have photographs and other display material based on the socio-economic, cultural, and political aspects and conditions of the city, along with contribution of freedom fighters. The place is expected to be visited by international tourists besides domestic tourists.
The official added that the motive of conservation of this building is not to freeze its current status but to adapt it to modern use sensitively. The restoration process for the place will involve architectural restoration of the historic edifice, creation of a central food court, provision of public facilities such as toilets, drinking water, information signs, directional signs, benches and fountains.
NDMC's Gole Market Redevelopment Plan was conceived in 2006, at an estimated cost of Rs.7.75 crore. A design to turn it into a museum was created, complete with 3D visuals of how Edwin Lutyens had built Delhi. However, work on the centrepiece – the museum – had to be halted after shopkeepers refused to move out and took the matter to court.
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