New Delhi

This article is about the city which is the capital of India. For the metropolis see Delhi.

New Delhi ( नई दिल्ली ) is the capital of India, and is part of the National capital territory of Delhi. It is the seat of governance of the world's largest liberal democracy. New Delhi is the third largest metropolis in India. Its original creation served the purpose of the city being the capital of British India.

History

Delhi, has seen the rise and fall of many empires which have left behind a plethora of monuments that the grandeur and glory of bygone ages. A city which traces its history to Mahabharata, the great epic tale of wars fought between estranged cousins , the Kauravas and the Pandavas for the city of Indraprastha.

Mughals ruled Delhi in succession starting from Qutab-ub-din to Khiljis, Tughlaqs . The city of Delhi passed on to the hands of the British in 1803 AD. It was only in 1911, when the capital of British empire was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi, that Delhi got its present prestige. After Independence also, a kind of autonomy was conferred on the capital but it largely remained a chief commissioners regime. In 1956 Delhi was converted into a Union territory and gradually the chief commissioner was replaced by a Lt. Governor. In 1991, the national capital territory Act was passed by the parliament and a system of diarchy was introduced under which, the elected Government was given wide powers; except law and order which remained with the Central Government. The actual enforcement of the legislation came in 1993.

New Delhi, the capital of India, sprawled over the west bank of the river Yamuna is one of the fastest growing cities in India. It is surrounded on three sides by Haryana and to the east, across the river Yamuna by Uttar Pradesh. Historically, the city has long since been the foremost in political importance with successive dynasties choosing it as their seat of power, between the 13th and the 17th centuries. Remnants of the glorious past survive as important monuments in different parts of the city.

The myriad faces of the city are simply fascinating. In some places it remains a garden city, tree lined and with beautiful parks, but in some places it can also be crowded with heavy traffic. Turbaned Sikhs, colourfully dressed Rajasthani and Gujarati women working in offices, Muslim shopkeepers along Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, Tibetans and Ladakhis in the street stalls along Janpath and Kashmiris in the handicraft emporia around Connaught Place, all add to the cosmopolitan feel of the city. Soaring skyscrapers, posh residential colonies and bustling commercial complexes can be seen along with the ancient historical monuments. Its boutiques and shopping arcades offer access to a wealth of traditional and contemporary crafts, from all over the country. Old Delhi which looks entirely different from New Delhi area, is about 6 Km north of the city center.

New Delhi has always been a part of the union territory of Delhi and hence has its history interweaved in that of Delhi's. It was recognized as itself on its formal inaugaration as the capital of Imperial India in 1931 by the British. Two British architects, Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker were commissioned to design the city in keeping with the grandeur of India. This new city is today the capital of modern India.

Geography

The National Capital Territory of Delhi with an area of 1483sq.km is situated between the Himalayas and Aravalis range in the heart of the Indian sub-continent. It is surrounded on 3 sides by Haryana and to the east, across the river Yamuna by Uttar Pradesh. The major part of the territory lies on the western side of the river Yamuna, only some villages and the urban area of Shahdara lie on the eastern side of the river. Its greatest length is around 33 miles and the greatest width is 30 miles. Delhi's altitude ranges between 213 to 305 metres above the sea level.

As of 2005, New Delhi's population is 17,037,900 (metropolitan area) ; 10,203,700 (city proper).

Geographically, New Delhi is located in the northern part of the country. It's neighbouring states are Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Government

As of 2005, the government structure of the New Delhi Municipal council includes a chairperson, three members of New Delhi's Legislative Assembly, two members nominated by the Chief Minister of New Delhi and five members nominated by the central government.

Economy

Transport

The New Delhi Metro was introduced on the Christmas Day of 2002, serving the urban area. The system is planned to be completed in 2022.

For everyday travel around the city, a very comfortable and cheap means of transport are the local buses. These buses are owned and operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation. Presently there are also local buses that are owned and operated by private individuals or bodies. These are called the Blue and White Line buses. Another popular means of travel around New Delhi is by the popular autorickshaws which accomodates 3 people. These autorickshaws are available around almost all bus stops, railway stations and airport. Private-owned taxis are also available at the various taxis stands in the city.

The city is served by Indira Gandhi International Airport.

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Culture

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Being a capital city, people of different cultures reside in New Delhi.

Delhi has many art galleries, including the National Gallery of Modern Art, Sahitya Kala Parishad and Center for Contemporary Art. The city boasts of many Indian cultural centers, most notable being the Triveni Kala Sangam and the India International Center. Keeping pace with globalization, there are many discotheque and dance clubs too, most of them located in 5-star hotels. Some of these are C.J.'s (Le Meridien), Annabelle's (InterContinental The Grand), Dublin (Maurya Sheraton), Oasis (Hyatt Regency), Djinn's (Hyatt Regency), and My Kind of Place (Taj Palace). Other places include Shalom (Greater Kailash), Voda (Saket) and Fabric (on the Gurgaon-Mehrauli road).

Tourist Attractions

Delhi is one of the most historic capitals in the world and two of its monuments- the Qutb Minar and Humayun's Tomb – have been declared World Heritage Sites. It offers a multitude of interesting places and attractions to the visitor, so much so that it becomes difficult to decide from where to begin exploring the city. In Old Delhi, attractions like mosques, forts, and other monuments that depict India's Muslim history. The important places in Old Delhi includes the majestic Red Fort, the historical Chandni Chowk, besides Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana, the last two being modern structures constructed after India's Independence in 1947. New Delhi, on the other hand, is a modern city designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Delhi is a spacious, open city that houses many government buildings and embassies, apart from places of historical interest. Notable attractions in New Delhi include the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the one-time imperial residence of the British viceroys; the India Gate, a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers martyred during the Afghan war; the Laxminarayan Temple, built by the Birlas, one of India's leading industrial families; the Humayun's Tomb, said to be the forerunner of the Taj Mahal at Agra; the Purana Quila, built by Humayun, with later-day modifications by Sher Shah Suri; Tughlaqabad, Delhi's most colossal and awesome fort; Qutab Minar, built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak of the Slave Dynasty; and the lotus-shaped Baha'i Temple.

See also

• Tourist Attractions in Delhi
• Markets in Delhi
• National capital territory.

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