INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
On one end is the Red Fort and on the other is the grand 17th-century Fatehpuri Mosque
Between the two is a chaotic, dynamic world that carries the essence and enigma of numerous histories, and centuries of concrete and
intangible heritage.
Delhis Chandni Chowk, with its labyrinth of gullies lined with shops and dining establishments, is a market like no
Come September, it will likewise get its first shopping mall.
The developer, Omaxe Ltd, has actually branded it after the renowned
The name, Omaxe Chowk.
When they find out about this shopping mall, those who have checked out-- nay, experienced-- Chandni Chowk exclaim in
disbelief: But wheres the space for it ?! .
Turns out, there is
Thats another marvel of Chandni Chowk
It just appears to take whatever into its fold.
The mall, a vast 4.5-acre white giant, is turning up off the central promenade in the lane
opposite the Sis Ganj Gurudwara, the site where the ninth Sikh guru was beheaded on Aurangzebs orders.
On the ground flooring will be retail
stores; the very first flooring is being established as a Bridal Chowk ; and on the 2nd floor will be a food court, which, with a capacity
of over 1,600, will be amongst the most significant in India.
The boardwalk, with its planters, bollards and benches, has been developed as
a no-vehicle zone, so what about access to the shopping mall? While a sea of cycle- and auto-rickshaws and hand-pulled carts has currently
come up around it, will cars and trucks have the ability to drive in?
Jatin Goel, director, Omaxe Ltd, in a written action to Business
Standard, says a multi-level parking that will accommodate near 2,100 automobiles is being developed in the erstwhile Gandhi Maidan close
by.: The redevelopment of Chandni Chowk doesnt capture its unique spirit.
Besides 9 gates to the shopping center, direct entry and exit from
the Chandni Chowk Metro Station to the first floor of Omaxe Chowk is proposed, he says
This is the floor that will specifically be for bridal shopping-- something Chandni Chowk is known for.
For decades, the marketplace has
been a must-visit for wedding event consumers, courtesy its designer rip-offs that cost a fifth of the initial-- and even less after
passionate bargaining.
Will the shopping mall, then, impact the marketplaces bridal business?
The owner at Chhabra Emporium, a wholesaler
and seller of saris, suits and lehengas, isnt fretted
Do you think the shops in the shopping mall will be able to match Chandni Chowks competitive costs? he asks, smiling
Theyll need to consider the high lease and the high staff salaries
He states its a good thing that such a huge air-conditioned area is coming up in the market and while people will go to the shopping mall
also, what Chandni Chowk provides will stay unique and in need.
Outdoors glitzy shops like his, a relentless buzz of suit, suit, suit,
sari, sari, lehenga, lehenga follows passers-by as the personnel attempts to draw buyers in
Ask the personnel on the job in front of Ashiyana Bridal if this will alter once the shopping mall ends up being operational and they laugh:
You believe? Madam, thats retail; this is wholesale
Add to that the Chandni Chowk discounts
Absolutely nothing will alter
.
Several store owners state they have actually been invited to open their outlets in the shopping center, however they do not intend
to.
Chandni Chowk is a foodies hub, too, with historical dining establishments
Now with the food court, for which Goel states brand names like Haldiram, Hira Sweets, WOW China, KFC, Burger King, Subway, Amritsari
Express, House of Candy and many others are already on board, will they be tempted to register their existence in the mall?
Picture Credit:
Puneet Wadhwa.
Vikesh Singh Chauhan, the personnel at the Old Famous Jalebi Wala, smiles at that concern
We do not need to, though theyve asked several times, he states
A no-frills location, the Old Famous Jalebi Wala was established in 1884 at the mouth of Dariba Kalan ( unequaled pearl in Persian), a
While its size hasnt altered given that it opened, the cost of its jaleba (jalebi three times its size) has gone up from Rs 30 a kg in 1980
to Rs 500 now.
We dont even cross the roadway to deliver jalebis; individuals pertain to us, Chauhan says
The only individual we would deliver to was (Atal Bihari) Vajpayeeji on his birthday
Individuals, he says, will not concern Chandni Chowk to go to a shopping mall; theyll come here for legendary places like ours, or the
Natraj Dahi Bhalle Wala or Gianis Di Hatti (famed for its rabri falooda), which also cater to every class, which malls dont do .
The
sentiment is the exact same, whether one comes by at the 173-year-old Kanwarjis confectioners, where the sweet boxes these days are marked
with the G20 logo design, or heads into the Paranthe Wali Gali, where one can savour exotic parathas stuffed with lemon, bitter gourd, lady
finger and even banana, all deep fried in desi ghee.
Gaurav Tiwari of Pt Kanhaiya Lal Durga Prashad Dixit Paranthe Wale, which has been in
business since 1875, takes out his cellphone to show a marketing video of the mall
We have been getting such messages every other day
They have actually been asking us to open an outlet in their food court, he states
Why pay an arm and a leg for that tiny space when our world is here? he adds, waving at the aromatic gully thats packed with visitors.
His
confidence originates from the remarkable brand that is Chandni Chowk
But the other truth is that in the lane where as soon as 10 eateries served unique parathas, today just about 5 remain.
Sachin Bansal, chief
explorer, India City Walks and India Heritage Walks, who has his workplace in the heart of Chandni Chowk, is of the view that both, the mall
and the marketplace, will benefit.
The mall fits in for recreation and relaxation when one has actually checked out the heritage and
culture through walks and street food, he states, adding that the food court could be good particularly for children and the elderly (in a
post-Covid world).
When it comes to shopping, Bansal says, eventually, Chandni Chowk is a wholesale market, and retail could take advantage
of the mall.
From the appearance of it, Chandni Chowk will embrace the shopping center as well-- the way it finishes with whatever else.
