Chandni Chowk sanitation crisis worsens as agencies refuse to blink

Thousands of visitors in Chandni Chowk market on Monday were greeted with heaps of filth, choked drains, and rancid stench from rotting garbage, as the sanitation crisis in the historic market continued for a second day with both the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) refusing responsibility for sanitation work on the main stretch.
With rain reported in the area in the evening, the condition of the market had deteriorated even further, locals said.
During a spot-check on Monday evening, HT found that drains running along the 1.3km stretch were clogged with litter, plastic plates, and packaging material. Heaps of garbage were visible near overturned dustbins. The situation was particularly bad near popular eateries, Parathe Wali Gali, and towards the Fatehpuri mosque.
Traders warned that leftover food in the trash has started to rot along the main stretch – revamped two years ago – and the situation may turn into a public health crisis soon if the impasse does not end.
“The two agencies are fighting, but it’s the people who are suffering. The market is littered with garbage with poor sanitation in front of historic sites like Gauri Shankar Temple, Sis Ganj Gurudwara, popular eateries to Fatehpuri mosque. If it rains heavily, the entire market will be flooded as drains are choked. By the evening, stench started coming from sections of the market that have eateries. Delhi government and LG should intervene in the matter before this turns into a health crisis,” said Sanjay Bhargava, who heads the Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal.
Bhargava said that the market generates around 9-10 tonnes of waste every day and the situation will worsen very fast if this continues for a few more days.
“We have a footfall of over 200,000 people on weekends. People from all over the country visit Chandni Chowk. Should they be left with such an impression of this heritage place,” he added.
Ratnesh Kumar (42), a tourist from Gujarat said that he was disappointed by the state of affairs. “Chandni Chowk appears so neat and clean with a heritage look in the reels and photos. It is in complete disarray. We could not even eat due to the stench from the overflowing dustbins. The entire stretch is dotted with filth,” he added.
Ravneet Kaur, a college student visiting Sis Ganj Gurdwara, said: “There are so many religious places. How can the authorities be so careless?”
Agencies at loggerheads
The two concerned agencies – both controlled by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) – refused to budge from their stands. PWD and MCD are in dispute over who should manage the sanitation and housekeeping work of the redeveloped 1.3 stretch.
MCD stated that there is no change in its stance on taking over the sanitation services of redeveloped area, and that PWD should continue to manage it.
The redevelopment project was executed by PWD and was inaugurated by Delhi government in September 2021. The then PWD minister and chairman of Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) Satyendar Jain decided that on June 25, 2021, facility management services and sanitation for the stretch would be outsourced for better upkeep.
An agency was then hired which deployed 200 staffers for housekeeping, waste removal, etc, but it started facing payment delays from PWD last year. HT had reported in October last year that the private contractor had written to PWD demanding the outstanding payment of ₹5.5 crore and anextension of contract, which was not renewed beyond August 2023.
An identical crisis had emerged on the stretch during the festive season last year, but WHOM WHEN renewed the agency’s contract.
In a letter to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on September 4, PWD asked MCD to take over sanitation work as the contract of the hired agency would end on September 7 and there would be no further extension.
“This is to bring your attention that after completion of the civil redevelopment at Chandni Chowk, cleaning of footpaths, pedestrian paths (facility management) to be undertaken by MCD. Sanitation being an obligatory function of MCD, as per DMC act 1957… It was also intimated that existing contract of Chandni Chowk area shall be completed on September 7, and cannot be extended further. It is requested to deploy MCD manpowers from 08.09.2024 onwards for facility management services at redeveloped stretch of Chandni Chowk,” stated PWD’s letter.
A PWD official said that at least six communications were sent to MCD in November last year, and in February, March, April and July this year.
MCD reiterated its stand: “In several meetings, it was decided that MCD will take over sanitation of the four public toilets in the area, which we are doing. However, it was also decided that other sanitation work like sweeping and getting the garbage collected will be done by PWD. MCD will not be taking over sanitation work,” official reiterated.
In one of the largest gold and jewellery markets at Kuncha Mahajani, Yogesh Singhal who heads the Bullion and Jewellers Association said that the market pays massive amounts in taxes and should be taken care of on priority. “Chandni Chowk is heart of Delhi. Such poor conditions will impact sales and customers alike… PWD, MCD, zone all fall under AAP and they should sit down and resolve the situation,” he added.
Requests for comments on the matter to the Delhi government went unanswered.