Chandni Chowk Town Hall porch section collapses

A roof section and two large beams at the entrance porch of Chandni Chowk’s Town Hall collapsed on Saturday, damaging part of the first floor, the facade and the clock above the entrance.

The more than 160-year-old Grade-I protected building is owned by the MCD, which moved its headquarters to Civic Centre on Minto Road in 2011-12. The complex has since remained largely unused, with damaged windows, peeling plaster, blocked passages and exposed roof beams visible across parts of the site.

Officials have barricaded the porch area and spaces near the central meeting hall. Fire department personnel were present at the site as debris clearance began. A civic official said the work would take several days. Security personnel use part of the premises, where electronic voting machines are also stored.

The Delhi government announced in April that it intends to redevelop the complex as a Global Heritage Centre for the city’s art, culture and cuisine. Town Hall was completed in 1863 and served as Delhi’s municipal office for 145 years.