Used as a dumping ground by locals and an alleged hangout for drug and alcohol addicts, a neglected amphitheatre in the heart of Old Delhi’s Sitaram Bazar could be transformed into a cultural hub, with the government considering a proposal for the same.
The open-air theatre located at the complex, which includes a shelter for the homeless and a community centre of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), in Shanker Gali has fallen into disrepair over the years.
Residents have been complaining about the unhygienic conditions and unsafe environment around the property, alleging that the place often sees a gathering of drug addicts and drunkards.
‘No place for kids’
Patela, a local who makes clay toys for a living, said: “This place is becoming a nuisance because of such activities. I have told my daughters and daughters-in-laws to avoid crossing it. That is the least we can do to be safe.”
She added that if locals tried to prevent the addicts from using the space, it would lead to violence. “The next morning we may find our clay toys in pieces,” she said.
Another resident, Poonam, said it was ironic that children in the area, which is very congested, did not have a place to play as the amphitheatre and the park beside it were in a bad state.
“We have no place for recreation, so we sit at home or sometimes we form groups and sit outside the doors of our homes,” she said.
However, recently the amphitheatre was cleaned up to host a cultural show as part of the ‘Not In My Name’ protests on September 10. Taking it forward, Irtiza Qureshi, the founder of Muslim Association Rehabilitating Homeless and Mistreated (MARHAM), and social activist Indu Prakash Singh, of the NGO ActionAid, have given the Delhi government a proposal to turn the space into a permanent cultural hub.
Benefit for schools
Mr. Qureshi, whose organisation is running the homeless shelter at the site, said: “The government schools in old Delhi are deprived of such spaces. So, by transforming the amphitheatre into a cultural hub, not only will nearby schools and colleges benefit but it would also help foster communal harmony and civic pride through cultural programmes.”
For example, he said, the amphitheatre could be used to stage short plays or skits to spread awareness about sanitation and waste segregation.
Dr. Singh added that the development of the amphitheatre could help uplift the local communities.
According to a senior DUSIB official, the proposal is under consideration.
