Garstin Bastion Road, Red-light district in Old Delhi, India
Garstin Bastion Road is a street section in Old Delhi running from Ajmeri Gate to Lahori Gate, lined with two and three-story buildings. Ground floors hold workshops and sales counters for machinery, car parts and hardware, while upper floors come alive after business hours.
A British commissioner named Garstin Bastion concentrated five separate red-light districts of Delhi into this single area during colonial times. After independence, authorities decided in 1966 to rename the street Swami Shradhanand Marg.
The commissioner Garstin Bastion gave this street its original name during British rule, and many residents still use it in daily conversation. Official signs show Swami Shradhanand Marg since 1966, but old habits remain alive in the city fabric.
Visiting the machinery market works best during morning or early afternoon hours when traders and mechanics occupy ground-floor shops. Walkers should expect narrow sidewalks and heavy activity along the entire street.
Around twenty buildings along the street have upper floors that only operate after sunset, when the workshops below close. Roughly one hundred such establishments share these levels, creating a second layer of urban activity.
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