India, Nov. 3 -- A large section of Chandni Chowk's more than 160-year-old Town Hall, a Grade-I protected heritage building owned by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), has collapsed, damaging its facade, first floor, roof, walls of the main entrance porch and the clock mounted above it.

Ironically, the historic building is owned by the very civic body responsible for protecting and maintaining heritage structures across Delhi.

The complex, which has remained largely unused since MCD shifted its headquarters from this building in 2011-12, has crumbling corridors, damaged windows, peeling plaster and blocked passageways.

The damage comes even as the Delhi government has announced plans to redevelop the complex as a "Global Heritag...