hundreds of years old gate buyers in the world
The heavy gate at the entrance of Katra is hundreds of years old. It has buyers all over the world. Bhimsen Dhingra told that many foreign tourists, old lovers and buyers have been coming here. They get attracted by the grandeur of the gate. want to buy it. Photos and videos are made and taken away. The wood of the age-old gate is also alive and luxurious. In return, they offer good money and also to install a new gate here. For this we refuse. This gate is the ornament of Naya Katra. Have an identity. Such a gate cannot be made again. Therefore, we will not let this heritage go anywhere. Take care of it from time to time. Let’s take care of beauty by petting. There is Sai Baba’s temple after the entrance. People definitely bow down while coming and going. This has created a boom in the market.
115 year old primary school
There is a 115 year old primary school in Katra. Marwari Primary School established in 1908 is a recognized and aided school. It is run by Marwari Charitable Trust. Anil Mehra told that even today 200 to 250 children come to study in the school. The school is built by going upstairs through small stairs. There is a good place for students to sit and study here. Small children of the residents of nearby cutters get free education. Big businessmen of Chandni Chowk have studied from Marwari Primary School. In this school, free education, free admission, scholarship to the needy, free uniform, free book-copy, snacks, free medical facility, computer education, English education and Delhi Darshan are given to children taking admission in first class.
prime minister’s favorite clothes
Anil Mehra told that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi likes linen cloth a lot. They wear kurta-pajama of linen. This fabric is available here at wholesale price. Many leaders like to wear this cloth dress. Clothes of two big famous mills of linen clothes are available in Naya Katra. These days linen fabric is in trend. Many varieties of Giza cotton are available in the market. Big importers are sitting in Naya Katra. Also, the dealers of the country’s famous brands do wholesale business from here. Any customer who wants to work in shirting will have to come to Naya Katra.
If the way opens, then it will be good
The main road of Chandni Chowk has been beautified. There is a ban on the movement of motor vehicles from 9 am to 9 pm. If someone breaks the rule, there is a fine of Rs 20,000. Due to this rule, the traders sitting in the inner cutters in Chandni Chowk have to bear a lot of loss. Bhimsen Dhingra said that if the way opens, so be it. The traders want that no one should be allowed to park their vehicles on the main road. Any vehicle comes and leaves the ride. Now many such customers who do not like to travel in Metro, Bus, Taxi have stopped coming to Chandni Chowk. Customers with money who prefer to get down from the car and go straight to the showroom have started moving to other markets in Delhi. Due to this the traditional shopkeepers here have to bear the loss. The government should pay attention to this. Chandni Chowk is the commercial area. The emphasis should be on saving the business.
Munshi Gauri Shankar was the name of Katre before the arson
The specialty of Naya Katra is that it is open from two sides. There is also movement of customers from Chandni Chowk Main Road and Maliwada. There was a fire here in 1967, in which many shops were burnt to ashes. There was a holiday in the market due to Gangasnan. A lot of goods were lost. Before that, Katra was known by the name of Munshi Gaurishankar. Once upon a time, scribes used to live here. This is also a Mughal period market. Even today, when excavation is done, remains of old wells and mansions are found. The Mughals ruled before the British. In those days, the ministers of the court used to stay here. There have been many changes over time. Today there must be 2-4 families living in the entire Katra. In the rest, business is done. Katra will have more than 125 shops including up and down. Earlier it was Wholesale Katra. Gradually the business converted into retail and wholesaling. Bhimsen Dhingra, President, New Katra
water problem
Like other katras, Naya Katra also has drinking water problem. Ashok Kumar told that the water level has gone down. Motor doesn’t work. Delhi Jal Board’s water does not come on time. Now the residence is only in name. The whole area is commercial. Still water is needed. Many shopkeepers have made toilets. There are tanks for this. Traders and customers have to use toilet, so water is necessary. Now even if water comes at night or early in the morning, then who will fill it in the tank? The shops open at 11 in the morning. Drinking water can be bought. But, the government should provide water for toilets.
shopkeeper upset due to lack of ladies toilet
Even today many big businessmen do wholesale business in Naya Katra. At one time there were also a good number of jobbers here. He used to sell the goods of the traders sitting inside to the customers coming from outside Delhi. He used to get good commission for this. There are famous showrooms of clothes like sarees, suits, lehenga chunni and shooting-shirting. These are dealt in retail and wholesale. A lot of goods are also exported from here. There is a good number of female customers in the market. However, there is a huge shortage of ladies toilets here. Shopkeepers are also worried due to this. Municipal corporation and government should pay attention. Now women do the purchasing for men as well. 20 additional public toilets should be built in Chandni Chowk. Even if money is charged for this. Here every buyer spends thousands to crores of rupees. He should get basic facilities. -Anil Mehra, Joint Secretary, Katra Committee
Crowd at the entrance of Katra due to encroachment
While entering Naya Katra from the main road of Chandni Chowk, there is very little way for the customers. It should be wide. Traffic is affected due to encroachment. Many times the group of women buyers move to another place if they do not get a place. This makes a difference to the livelihood of the shopkeepers sitting inside. If proper passage is provided, visitors will have an open passage from a distance. The rebuilt market after the fire incident has a lot of space inside. Whereas in other old cutters the lanes are narrow. Like other cutters, traders are troubled by bunches of wires in Naya Katra. AC runs in summer. Power load increases. Wires get hot. There is sparking in them. If the spark flares up, then again a big accident can happen. A solution should be found for open wiring, so that untoward incidents do not happen again. Rohit Kohli, wholesaler of clothes
I am the watchman, here are my two shops
Our forefathers have been doing chowkidari in Naya Katra. My father, my father and now I am the watchman of Katra. For this, I even left the government job of DTC. The sons have grown up. His two shops are also in Katra. Good business going on. Still haven’t left the job of watchman. Even today I take 170 rupees per month as watchman’s money from every shop. Studied from Marwari school here. When the fire broke out here, he was still in the school. Then me and other children were taken out from a safe place through dhoti. At that time many families lived in Naya Katra. Have seen up close Naya Katra recovering after the fire. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the family lived in the upper floor and shops below. Gradually shops opened up and down. The local people left Old Delhi and shifted to other places. Ashok Kumar Mishra, Chowkidar