India, April 16 -- With heavy scaffolding propping up its 104-year-old arches and lime-plastered shop roofs, a dozen workers are busy reinforcing the core structure of the iconic Gole Market in the heart of New Delhi. Built in 1921 and designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the two-storey octagonal structure is undergoing meticulous restoration. The brick-strengthening work is nearing completion, and workers have now begun refurbishing the jharokha-style window projections that dot the market's facade.

But while the structure is slowly taking shape, progress on converting it into a museum has been steady but sluggish.

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which launched the long-delayed project in October 2023 to transform the heritage market...