New Delhi, April 24 -- The site of the defunct Rajghat Thermal Power Plant - once considered by Delhi government for a flagship night-time leisure hub and even a potential location for a new Delhi secretariat - is now likely to be handed back to the Centre, which has sought the land to develop memorials for national leaders, officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Spread over nearly 45 acres along the Yamuna in central Delhi, the coal-fired plant was commissioned in 1989 and remained operational for over three decades before being shut down in 2015 due to its contribution to rising air pollution levels.

Since its decommissioning, however, the massive site has largely remained unused, with multiple redevelopment proposals fa...