Old Delhi havelis threatened
Old Delhi's Mughal‑era havelis are splitting between carefully restored boutique conversions and buildings sliding into ruin — preservationists blame legal fights and underinvestment. (hindustantimes.com) On March 24 officials demolished unauthorized construction across five acres, underscoring the tug‑of‑war between development and heritage even as Delhi raised a ₹412 crore tourism outlay. (tribuneindia.com) (hindustantimes.com)
Haveli Dharampura was taken on by Vijay Goel and restored over roughly six to seven years before winning a special mention in UNESCO’s Asia‑Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2017. (havelidharampura.com ) At least five Old Delhi havelis have been restored, repurposed or reopened in the past decade, including Sharif Manzil in Ballimaran which now hosts cultural events and community programming. (ThePrint.in ) Mathur ki Haveli in Roshanpura remains a rare lived‑in example; its fourth‑generation resident Ashok Mathur describes ongoing deterioration of wooden ceilings, worn floors and decaying doors while the household maintains occupancy. (HindustanTimes.com ) Restorers and owners say conservation is “isolated” without sustained funding and that many properties are legally fragmented across multiple heirs or being converted into shops and apartments, complicating large‑scale preservation. (MalayMail.com / AFP reporting ) On March 24 the Haryana Town and Country Planning Department demolished unauthorized construction spanning about five acres in Hansi, underlining regional enforcement on illegal building activity the same week Delhi presented a new budget. (TribuneIndia.com ) Delhi’s March 24 budget earmarked ₹412 crore for tourism and pledged redevelopment of the Delhi Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, while the Centre has cleared a separate ₹1,200‑crore PPP plan to redevelop The Ashok (₹820 crore) and Hotel Samrat (₹380 crore) under NMP 2.0. (HindustanTimes.com ) (EconomicTimes.com )
