The 1.3-km road, one of the most popular shopping destinations in the city, has been neglected for years now. Apart from losing its original design, it has also given way to several illegal structures.

“The redevelopment plan will restore the original glory of the road, starting from the Red Fort T-junction to the Fatehpuri Mosque,” said MCD Deputy Commissioner of the area Vijay Singh. The new plan also promises to make the area more shopper-friendly.

The MCD will start off with removing all wires hanging on the road and bylanes, said Singh. The wires would go underground and pavements would be levelled. Iron streetlight poles of the central verge will give way to poles with a Mughal architectural design.

Iron pillars on the road that have been replaced by concrete pillars will be restored. “The façade and pillars will be restored to its original design. The MCD has already started issuing guidelines to all new constructions taking place in the area,” said Singh. Even the boards of shops in the area will have a uniform size and colour.

The six-lane road will be reduced to four lanes to make the area more pedestrian-friendly and to discourage the use of cars. “Currently the pavements are 3.5 metre wide. We plan to increase their width to six feet,” said an architect of the Department of Science and Technology, which is a part of the Rs 15-crore project.

All Kuchas will have similar gates and the entire area will have a uniform signage. “These signages are going to be retro-reflective as well as real-time. They will have space to display upcoming events in the area. Shop owners will also be able to use the space to advertise, fetching revenue for the corporation,” added Singh.