MCD keeps completed Karol Bagh Heritage Park closed to public
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has kept the newly constructed Heritage Park in Karol Bagh closed to the public, nearly two years after its main construction was completed. Despite finishing major installations in April 2024 and finalising entry ticket prices, the Rs 4 crore facility located inside Ajmal Khan Park remains locked, depriving local residents of a major recreational and educational attraction.
Conceived as a "waste-to-art" initiative, the 4.5-acre park features 20 detailed replicas of UNESCO World Heritage monuments from across India. The project's foundation stone was laid in October 2023 by former MP Meenakshi Lekhi, who allocated nearly Rs 4 crore from her MPLAD funds.
Visitors are designed to enter the park through a 30-foot-high replica of Teen Darwaza, a historic gateway from Ahmedabad’s Bhadra Fort. The site also showcases five "heritage wheels" or chakras inspired by temple architecture, including a towering replica of the Konark wheel from Odisha and the 16th-century Hampi Stone Chariot wheel from Karnataka. Other replicas installed include the Shore Temple and Mahishasuramardhini Mandapa in Tamil Nadu, Durga Temple at Aihole in Karnataka, Amer Fort in Rajasthan, Santiniketan in West Bengal, Delhi's Red Fort, and Champaner in Gujarat.
Although landscaping and sculptures were complete by March 2024, officials initially delayed the opening to May 2024 to address waterlogging and drainage issues near the entrance. Even after resolving these issues, the park remained closed.
In 2025, the MCD expanded the project by adding a bird-themed children's section under the AMRUT scheme, allocating an additional Rs 3 crore. This new section is designed for children and will include interactive sculptures, such as a giant peacock with slides near its tail, alongside parrot and pigeon play structures.
According to recent updates from senior MCD officials, the park will finally open after the children's section and allied works are completed, which is expected within the next three months. Meanwhile, officials have finalised the pricing for entry tickets and parking facilities.
