According to civic officials, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) intends to establish a vibrant “night food street” near the Salimgarh Fort-Red Fort area along the Yamuna River. This unique initiative will showcase renowned delicacies from the Old Delhi region exclusively during nighttime hours. The MCD is currently in the process of compiling a comprehensive report to facilitate the operationalization of Delhi’s inaugural night food street. The project is anticipated to be finalized before the upcoming series of G-20 meetings scheduled for September.
According to a senior municipal official, approximately two months ago, the proposed location for the food street was successfully cleared of any encroachments. Currently, efforts are underway to level the site in order to facilitate the development of the designated hosting area.
“Since the site is located right next to Red Fort and Salimgarh Fort — monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) — we cannot develop any permanent structures on this patch. Non-permanent structures and tents can be used to create the hosting area and major eateries from the Walled City will be asked to present their food items on the kiosks. The civic body will provide the basic infrastructure, water and space to them,” the official said.
During an inspection on April 23, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena visited the site and discussed the concept of establishing a night food street. As a result of the inspection, it was decided to take action and remove any encroachments present in the area.
“The food street will be exclusively focused on the Delhi-6 area. The visitors from other countries coming for G20 meetings are expected. If the model is successful, it can be replicated in other parts of the city to showcase the variety of Delhi’s popular street foods. The site can also be utilised for providing space to food trucks during food festivals. A detailed project report is being prepared after which the tenders will be floated,” an official said.
As of Monday, significant progress was made in clearing and leveling the 200-meter stretch along the Salimgarh Fort wall.
The Salimgarh Fort, also known as Salim’s Fort, was constructed during the 16th century by Salim Shah Suri on an island in the Yamuna River. It predates the Red Fort and Shahjahanabad by almost a century. Initially, it served as a prison during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, a practice that continued under British rule after they took control of the fort in 1857. Notably, the fort was used to incarcerate leaders of the Indian National Army in 1945. Presently, the Salimgarh Fort is an integral part of the Red Fort Complex, which was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. As per this designation, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is responsible for implementing conservation measures to protect this historical monument.
A high-ranking official from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), who preferred to remain anonymous, stated that it is necessary to obtain permission before engaging in any activities within a 300-meter radius of a protected monument.
“Permission needs to be sought from the competent authorities — government of NCT Delhi and National Monument Authority — for carrying out any such activity,” said the official.
According to Anubhav Sapra, the Founder of Delhi Food Walks, the concept of night food streets, which is already prevalent in Gujarat, should be embraced to encourage and promote Delhi’s street food culture.
“Such night food streets are very popular in Gujarat and they help improve the security in the area. Many of the gold jewellery markets are operational during the day while they shut down at night. The street food vendors plying trade at nights offer security to these shops. Delhi is quite late to this trend and the idea will help boost food tourism in the city with a rich food history by offering all the delicacies of Shahjahanabad at one site. It is a good idea which should be implemented immediately,” he said.