Delhi: NDMC to spruce up Khan Market; traders want utility upgrade

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) plans an ambitious revamp of central Delhi’s iconic Khan Market, introducing upgrades aimed at improving infrastructure, aesthetics, and functionality while preserving the heritage of the 73-year-old commercial hub, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday.
Among the proposed initiatives are intensive night scrubbing of common areas, retroreflective walkways, a new public convenience complex for women, uniform shop nameplates, and the replacement of overhead wires with underground utility ducts, the officials cited above said.
NDMC vice chairman Kuljeet Chahal, traders and civic officials held a review meeting of the redevelopment plan at Palika Kendra on Thursday. Officials said that NDMC will also begin fresh rounds of talks with market traders to gather feedback for the redevelopment.
“We are starting intensive night cleaning with wet scrubbing in the market, which is a first for any commercial space in New Delhi. Wet scrubbing of common areas will be carried out every day between 1am and 4am. The waste collection and litter bins are also being changed and new thermoplastic paint walkways are being carved out on adjoining roads to improve pedestrian mobility,” said NDMC vice chairman Kuljeet Chahal.
An NDMC official said that wet scrubbing will entail mechanically cleaning pavements and roads with high pressure jetting machines to remove dirt. The drive will be launched early Friday morning.
He added that a new public convenience complex for women will be developed near the market and the existing toilet complex will be refurbished. An NDMC official said that the current women public convenience block will include essential amenities such as a sanitary vending machine, a feeding and changing room, and a diaper-changing station. “Retroreflective walkways are being added to increase the safety by improving visibility during the night.
Chahal said that directions have been issued to retile the service middle lane and NDMC will ensure a uniformity in the design of shop nameplates to enhance the market’s visual coherence.
“We have also decided to remove the overhead wires and shift them to an underground utility duct. A similar system already exists in the middle lane of Connaught Place. A task force is also being created to tackle parking challenges there,” he added.
Under its parking sector revamp, NDMC plans to add stack parking near the market for which a suitable site is being explored, Chahal added.
While the underground utility ducts are in the planning stage, NDMC officials have promised a phased approach to minimise disruption.
Sanjeev Mehra, who heads the Khan Market traders’ association, said that traders have been demanding a common underground utility duct system, but the work should be carried out in phases with prefabricated ducts that can ensure that movement in the market’s busiest sections are not disrupted.
Chahal stressed that the redevelopment would focus on back-end infrastructure without altering the market’s main heritage structure. NDMC also plans to build consensus on contentious issues like fire exits in later phases. “First, a consensus will be built on the issue,” he added.
Established in 1951 and named after Pashtun leader Khan Abdul Jabbar Khan, Khan Market is home to over 40 eateries, bookstores, and boutique outlets, and is among the country’s most expensive rental locations. The double-storey market complex originally had 154 shops and 74 flats on the first floor.
NDMC had moved the proposal to redevelop the market in 2018-19 but the project remained stuck due to a lack of consensus among stakeholders. NDMC’s plan had proposed to create makeshift fire exits on the first floor, a uniform facade, new street furniture, and development of common areas.
Traders of the market have lobbied for keeping the market’s original structure intact while strengthening its utilities. Mehra said that the stack parking option is not feasible as there is no adequate space and the civic body should focus on upgrading common utilities. Mehra said that there is a stay from the Delhi high court on any structural changes as these are private properties.
“There is an embargo on such over-ground development in the market as per court orders. The market has five sectors where infrastructure needs to be upgraded. We need to revamp the middle lane which needs an even pavement surface with common underground common utility duct, an underground parking lot to meet increased demand, a centralised Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and an upgraded electricity and water supply system,” Mehra said.
“We have more than 40 restaurants and eateries in the market. The discharge from these units needs to be treated by a common ETP. The power load of the market also needs to be upgraded based in commercial load,” he added. He added that 24×7 water supply could eliminate the need for rooftop tanks, easing the load on the aging structure.
NDMC said that it is working closely with the market traders association (MTAs) on the redevelopment plan. “Their feedback will play a a crucial role in shaping the plan. These efforts are not just about improving the aesthetics of the market but also about creating more vibrant, accessible, and commercially successful spaces for both traders and visitors,” said Chahal.