Red Fort to Qutub Minar, Delhi to spruce up its iconic tourist sites

The Delhi government plans to enhance the premises of major city monuments including the Red Fort, Lotus Temple and Qutub Minar by installing street furniture such as lamps, benches and shaded seating areas. The initiative aims to improve the overall tourist experience by making these heritage zones more accessible, welcoming and comfortable. The beautification will also include clearing encroachments, installing traffic signs and ensuring better walkability.

Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said, "We are working closely with officials from the tourism department to transform the areas around Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Lotus Temple into more walkable and pleasant spaces."

"The idea is to not just beautify the surroundings but to make them more functional, safe and tourist-friendly. We plan to install street lights, benches and sheds to protect visitors from the sun, clear encroachments, and add proper traffic signs and signals," he said.

The government is also preparing to launch a city branding campaign. An agency will soon be appointed for the project and a fresh tagline for Delhi will be selected, Mishra said.

In 2013, the Congress-led Delhi government had organised a public contest to choose a tagline for the city. The tagline 'DilDar Dilli' was chosen and participant Amit Anand had won a prize of Rs 50,000 for coining it.

To further engage the youth, Mishra said the government plans to organise a talent hunt competition in which around 20 youngsters will be selected and given an opportunity to showcase their skills, with judges from big platforms like Indian Idol expected to join the panel.

Delhi is home to 174 heritage and tourist spots, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, several stepwells (baolis), and many lesser-known monuments. Through this renewed focus on tourism, the government hopes to bring these historical treasures into the spotlight.