New Delhi

This article is about the municipality of New Delhi, most of its areas defined by the NDMC, within the National Capital Territory of Delhi. For other uses, see New Delhi (disambiguation).
New Delhi
नई दिल्ली
ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ
نئی دہلی

Location in Delhi State

Coordinates: 28°36′50″N 77°12′32″E / 28.61389°N 77.20889°E / 28.61389; 77.20889Coordinates: 28°36′50″N 77°12′32″E / 28.61389°N 77.20889°E / 28.61389; 77.20889
Country  India
State/Territory Delhi
Established 1911
Inaugurated 1931
Area[1]
 • Capital City 42.7 km2 (16.5 sq mi)
Elevation 216 m (709 ft)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Capital City 249,998
 • Density 5,855/km2 (15,160/sq mi)
 • Metro 21,753,486
Demonym(s) Delhiite
Languages
 • Official Hindi
 • Second official Urdu, Punjabi[3]
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Pincode(s) 110xxx
Area code(s) +91-11
Vehicle registration DL-1x-x-xxxx to DL-13x-x-xxxx
Civic agency New Delhi Municipal Council
Website www.ndmc.gov.in
The city of New Delhi is located within the National Capital Territory of Delhi.

New Delhi (i/ˌnjuː ˈdɛli/)[4][5] is the capital and seat of government of India. It is also a municipality and district in Delhi and serves as the seat of Government of Delhi.

The foundation stone of the city was laid by George V, Emperor of India during the Delhi Durbar of 1911.[6] It was designed by British architects, Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker. The new capital was inaugurated on 13 February 1931,[7] by India's Viceroy Lord Irwin.

Although colloquially Delhi and New Delhi as names are used interchangeably to refer to the jurisdiction of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, these are two distinct entities, and the latter is a small part of the former.

New Delhi has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission.

Establishment

Lord Curzon and Lady Curzon arriving at the Delhi Durbar, 1903.
The Delhi Durbar of 1911, with King George V and Queen Mary seated upon the dais.

Calcutta (now Kolkata) was the capital of India during the British Raj until December 1911.

Historically, New Delhi was in Delhi under the Punjab Province in British India. Delhi had served as the political and financial centre of several empires of ancient India and the Delhi Sultanate, most notably of the Mughal Empire from 1649 to 1857. During the early 1900s, a proposal was made to the British administration to shift the capital of the British Indian Empire (as it was officially called) from Calcutta to Delhi.[8] Unlike Calcutta, which was located on the eastern coast of India, Delhi was at the centre of northern India and the Government of British India felt that it would be logistically easier to administer India from the latter rather than the former.[8]

The land for building the new city of Delhi was acquired under the Land Acquisition Act 1894.[9]

On 12 December 1911, during the Delhi Durbar, George V, then Emperor of India, along with Queen Mary, his Consort, made the announcement[10][11] that the capital of the Raj was to be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi, while laying the foundation stone for the Viceroy's residence in the Coronation Park, Kingsway Camp.[12][13] The foundation stone[14] of New Delhi was laid by King George V and Queen Mary at the site of Delhi Durbar of 1911 at Kingsway Camp on 15 December 1911, during their imperial visit. Large parts of New Delhi were planned by Edwin Lutyens (Sir Edwin from 1918), who first visited Delhi in 1912, and Herbert Baker (Sir Herbert from 1926), both leading 20th-century British architects.[15] The contract was given to Sobha Singh (later Sir Sobha Singh). Construction really began after World War I and was completed by 1931. The city that was later dubbed "Lutyens' Delhi" was inaugurated in ceremonies beginning on 10 February 1931 by Lord Irwin, the Viceroy.[16] Lutyens designed the central administrative area of the city as a testament to Britain's imperial aspirations.[17][18]

The 1931 series celebrated the inauguration of New Delhi as the seat of government. The one rupee stamp shows George V with the "Secretariat Building" and Dominion Columns.

Soon Lutyens started considering other places. Indeed, the Delhi Town Planning Committee, set up to plan the new imperial capital, with George Swinton as chairman and John A. Brodie and Lutyens as members, submitted reports for both North and South sites. However, it was rejected by the Viceroy when the cost of acquiring the necessary properties was found to be too high. The central axis of New Delhi, which today faces east at India Gate, was previously meant to be a north-south axis linking the Viceroy's House at one end with Paharganj at the other. During the project's early years, many tourists believed it was a gate from Earth to Heaven itself.[19] Eventually, owing to space constraints and the presence of a large number of heritage sites in the North side, the committee settled on the South site.[20] A site atop the Raisina Hill, formerly Raisina Village, a Meo village, was chosen for the Rashtrapati Bhawan, then known as the Viceroy's House. The reason for this choice was that the hill lay directly opposite the Dinapanah citadel, which was also considered the site of Indraprastha, the ancient region of Delhi. Subsequently, the foundation stone was shifted from the site of Delhi Durbar of 1911–1912, where the Coronation Pillar stood, and embedded in the walls of the forecourt of the Secretariat. The Rajpath, also known as King's Way, stretched from the India Gate to the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Secretariat building, the two blocks of which flank the Rashtrapati Bhawan and houses ministries of the Government of India, and the Parliament House, both designed by Herbert Baker, are located at the Sansad Marg and run parallel to the Rajpath.

In the south, land up to Safdarjung's Tomb was acquired to create what is today known as Lutyens' Bungalow Zone.[21] Before construction could begin on the rocky ridge of Raisina Hill, a circular railway line around the Council House (now Parliament House), called the Imperial Delhi Railway, was built to transport construction material and workers for the next twenty years. The last stumbling block was the Agra-Delhi railway line that cut right through the site earmarked for the hexagonal All-India War Memorial (India Gate) and Kingsway (Rajpath), which was a problem because the Old Delhi Railway Station served the entire city at that time. The line was shifted to run along the Yamuna river, and it began operating in 1924. The New Delhi Railway Station opened in 1926 with a single platform at Ajmeri Gate near Paharganj and was completed in time for the city's inauguration in 1931.[22][23] As construction of the Viceroy's House (the present Rashtrapati Bhavan), Central Secretariat, Parliament House, and All-India War Memorial (India Gate) was winding down, the building of a shopping district and a new plaza, Connaught Place, began in 1929, and was completed by 1933. Named after Prince Arthur, 1st Duke of Connaught (1850–1942), it was designed by Robert Tor Russell, chief architect to the Public Works Department (PWD).[24]

After the capital of India moved to Delhi, a temporary secretariat building was constructed in a few months in 1912 in North Delhi. Most of the government offices of the new capital moved here from the 'Old secretariat' in Old Delhi (the building now houses the Delhi Legislative Assembly), a decade before the new capital was inaugurated in 1931. Many employees were brought into the new capital from distant parts of India, including the Bengal Presidency and Madras Presidency. Subsequently housing for them was developed around Gole Market area in the 1920s.[25] Built in the 1940s, to house government employees, with bungalows for senior officials in the nearby Lodhi Estate area, Lodhi colony near historic Lodhi Gardens, was the last residential areas built by the British Raj.[26]

Post-independence

Rashtrapati Bhavan, the home of the President of India.

After India gained independence in 1947, a limited autonomy was conferred to New Delhi and was administered by a Chief Commissioner appointed by the Government of India. In 1956, Delhi was converted into a union territory and eventually the Chief Commissioner was replaced by a Lieutenant Governor. The Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991 declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be formally known as National Capital Territory of Delhi.[27] A system was introduced under which the elected Government was given wide powers, excluding law and order which remained with the Central Government. The actual enforcement of the legislation came in 1993.

The first major extension of New Delhi outside of Lutyens' Delhi came in the 1950s when the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) developed a large area of land southwest of Lutyens' Delhi to create the diplomatic enclave of Chanakyapuri, where land was allotted for embassies, chanceries, high commissions and residences of ambassadors, around wide central vista, Shanti Path.[28]

Geography

With a total area of 42.7 km2 (16.5 sq mi), New Delhi forms a small part of the Delhi metropolitan area.[29] Since the city is located on the Indo-Gangetic Plain, there is little difference in elevation across the city. New Delhi and surrounding areas were once a part of the Aravalli Range; all that is left of those mountains is the Delhi Ridge, which is also called the Lungs of Delhi. While New Delhi lies on the floodplains of the Yamuna River, it is essentially a landlocked city. East of the river is the urban area of Shahdara. New Delhi falls under the seismic zone-IV, making it vulnerable to earthquakes.[30]

Seismology

New Delhi lies on several fault lines and thus experiences frequent earthquakes, most of them of mild intensity. There has, however, been a spike in the number of earthquakes in the last six years, most notable being a 5.4 magnitude earthquake in 2015 with its epicentre in Nepal, a 4.7-magnitude earthquake on 25 November 2007, a 4.2-magnitude earthquake on 7 September 2011, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake on 5 March 2012, and a swarm of twelve earthquakes, including four of magnitudes 2.5, 2.8, 3.1, and 3.3, on 12 November 2013.

Climate

The climate of New Delhi is a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) with high variation between summer and winter in terms of both temperature and rainfall. The temperature varies from 46 °C (115 °F) in summers to around 0 °C (32 °F) in winters. The area's version of a humid subtropical climate is noticeably different from many other cities with this climate classification in that it features long and very hot summers, relatively dry and mild winters, a monsoonal period, and dust storms. Summers are long, extending from early April to October, with the monsoon season occurring in the middle of the summer. Winter starts in November and peaks in January. The annual mean temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F); monthly daily mean temperatures range from approximately 14 to 34 °C (57 to 93 °F). New Delhi's highest temperature ever recorded is 49.1 °C (120.4 °F) while the lowest temperature ever recorded is −3.2 °C (26.2 °F).[31] Those for Delhi metropolis stand at 49.9 °C (121.8 °F) and −3.2 °C (26.2 °F) respectively. The average annual rainfall is 784 millimetres (30.9 in), most of which is during the monsoons in July and August.[32]

Climate data for New Delhi (Safdarjung) 1981–2010
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 30.0
(86)		 34.1
(93.4)		 40.6
(105.1)		 45.6
(114.1)		 47.2
(117)		 48.7
(119.7)		 45.0
(113)		 42.0
(107.6)		 40.6
(105.1)		 39.4
(102.9)		 36.1
(97)		 29.3
(84.7)		 48.7
(119.7)
Average high °C (°F) 20.5
(68.9)		 23.9
(75)		 29.6
(85.3)		 36.3
(97.3)		 39.5
(103.1)		 39.2
(102.6)		 35.4
(95.7)		 34.1
(93.4)		 34.1
(93.4)		 32.8
(91)		 28.2
(82.8)		 23.1
(73.6)		 31.4
(88.5)
Average low °C (°F) 7.6
(45.7)		 10.4
(50.7)		 15.6
(60.1)		 21.3
(70.3)		 25.8
(78.4)		 27.9
(82.2)		 27.4
(81.3)		 26.6
(79.9)		 25.0
(77)		 19.1
(66.4)		 12.9
(55.2)		 8.3
(46.9)		 19.0
(66.2)
Record low °C (°F) −0.6
(30.9)		 1.6
(34.9)		 4.4
(39.9)		 10.7
(51.3)		 15.2
(59.4)		 18.9
(66)		 20.3
(68.5)		 20.7
(69.3)		 17.3
(63.1)		 9.4
(48.9)		 3.9
(39)		 1.1
(34)		 −0.6
(30.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 19.3
(0.76)		 22.1
(0.87)		 15.9
(0.626)		 13.0
(0.512)		 31.5
(1.24)		 82.2
(3.236)		 187.3
(7.374)		 232.5
(9.154)		 129.8
(5.11)		 14.3
(0.563)		 4.9
(0.193)		 9.4
(0.37)		 762.3
(30.012)
Average rainy days 1.3 1.8 1.6 1.2 2.5 4.6 9.4 9.8 5.5 1.0 0.5 0.9 40.1
Average relative humidity (%) 63 55 47 34 33 46 70 73 62 52 55 62 54
Mean monthly sunshine hours 214.6 216.1 239.1 261.0 263.1 196.5 165.9 177.0 219.0 269.3 247.2 215.8 2,684.6
Source #1: India Meteorological Department (record high and low up to 2010)[33][34]
Source #2: NOAA (extremes, sun and humidity, 1971–1990)[35]

Air quality

In recent Mercer's 2015 annual quality-of-living survey, New Delhi ranks at number 154 out of 230 cities due to bad air quality and pollution.[36][37] The World Health Organization ranked New Delhi as the world's worst polluted city in 2014 among about 1,600 cities the organisation tracked around the world.[38][39][40][41]

Dense smog at Connaught Place, New Delhi.

In an attempt to curb air pollution in New Delhi, which gets worst during the winter, a temporary alternate-day travel scheme for cars using the odd- and even-numbered license plates system was announced by Delhi government in December 2015. In addition, trucks will be allowed to enter India's capital only after 11 pm, two hours later than the existing restriction.[41] The driving restriction scheme is planned to be implemented as a trial from 1 January 2016 for an initial period of 15 days. The restriction will be in force between 8 a.m. and 8 pm, and traffic will not be restricted on Sundays.[42] Public transportation service will be increased during the restriction period.[41]

On 16 December 2015, the Supreme Court of India mandated several restrictions on Delhi's transportation system to curb pollution. Among the measures, the court ordered to stop registrations of diesel cars and sport utility vehicles with an engine capacity of 2,000 cc and over until 31 March 2016. The court also ordered all taxis in the Delhi region to switch to compressed natural gas by 1 March 2016. Transportation vehicles that are more than 10 years old were banned from entering the capital.[43]

Analysing real-time vehicle speed data from Uber Delhi revealed that during the odd-even programme, average speeds went up by a statistically significant 5.4 per cent (2.8 standard deviation from normal). This means vehicles have lesser idling time in traffic and vehicle engines would run closer to minimum fuel consumption."In bordering areas, PM 2.5 levels were recorded more than 400 (ug/m3) while in inner areas in Delhi, they were recorded between 150 and 210 on an average,"

2015 Air pollution in New Delhi (PM2.5 AQI).
   Hazardous
   Very Unhealthy
   Unhealthy
   Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
   Moderate
   Good

Government

Main article: Government of Delhi
The Secretariat Building houses Ministries of Defence, Finance, Home Affairs and External Affairs. It also houses the Prime Minister's office.

The national capital of India, New Delhi is jointly administered by both the Central Government of India and the local Government of Delhi, it is also the capital of the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.

As of 2015, 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 the NCT of Delhi and five members nominated by the central government.

The head of state of Delhi is the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Delhi, appointed by the President of India on the advice of the Central government and the post is largely ceremonial, as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Delhi is the head of government and is vested with most of the executive powers. According to the Indian constitution, if a law passed by Delhi's legislative assembly is repugnant to any law passed by the Parliament of India, then the law enacted by the parliament will prevail over the law enacted by the assembly.[44]

New Delhi is governed through a municipal government, known as the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC). Other urban areas of the metropolis of Delhi are administered by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). However, the entire metropolis of Delhi is commonly known as New Delhi in contrast to Old Delhi.

Urban structure

Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India and is the largest residence of any head of state in the world.

Much of New Delhi, planned by the leading 20th-century British architect Edwin Lutyens, was laid out to be the central administrative area of the city as a testament to Britain's imperial pretensions. New Delhi is structured around two central promenades called the Rajpath and the Janpath. The Rajpath, or King's Way, stretches from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the India Gate. The Janpath (Hindi: "Path of the People"), formerly Queen's Way, begins at Connaught Circus and cuts the Rajpath at right angles. 19 foreign embassies are located on the nearby Shantipath (Hindi: "Path of Peace"), making it the largest diplomatic enclave in India.[45]

At the heart of the city is the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhavan (formerly known as Viceroy's House) which sits atop Raisina Hill. The Secretariat, which houses ministries of the Government of India, flanks out of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Parliament House, designed by Herbert Baker, is located at the Sansad Marg, which runs parallel to the Rajpath. Connaught Place is a large, circular commercial area in New Delhi, modelled after the Royal Crescent in England. Twelve separate roads lead out of the outer ring of Connaught Place, one of them being the Janpath.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Delhi
Shown here is the check-in counter at Terminal 2 of the airport.
Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, it is the busiest airport in South Asia.[46] Shown here is the check-in counter at Terminal 3 of the airport.
The entrance of the Anand Vihar station
Anand Vihar Terminal railway station, opened in 2009
Front view of a Delhi Metro Train
The Delhi Metro
A view of Delhi Faridabad Skyway
A view of Delhi Faridabad Skyway
The Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway
The Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, connecting Delhi to the Indira Gandhi International Airport
A Delhi underground metro station
A New Delhi underground metro station

Air

Indira Gandhi International Airport, situated to the southwest of Delhi, is the main gateway for the city's domestic and international civilian air traffic. In 2012–13, the airport was used by more than 35 million passengers,[47][48] making it one of the busiest airports in South Asia. Terminal 3, which cost ₹96.8 billion (US$1.4 billion) to construct between 2007 and 2010, handles an additional 37 million passengers annually.[49]

The Delhi Flying Club, established in 1928 with two de Havilland Moth aircraft named Delhi and Roshanara, was based at Safdarjung Airport which started operations in 1929, when it was the Delhi's only airport and the second in India.[50] The airport functioned until 2001, however in January 2002 the government closed the airport for flying activities because of security concerns following the New York attacks in September 2001. Since then, the club only carries out aircraft maintenance courses,[50] and is used for helicopter rides to Indira Gandhi International Airport for VIP including the president and the prime minister.[51]

In 2010, Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was conferred the fourth best airport award in the world in the 15–25 million category, and Best Improved Airport in the Asia-Pacific Region by Airports Council International.[52] The airport was rated as the Best airport in the world in the 25–40 million passengers category in 2015, by Airports Council International.[53][54] Delhi Airport also bags two awards for The Best Airport in Central Asia/India and Best Airport Staff in Central Asia/India at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2015.[55]

Road

New Delhi has one of India's largest bus transport systems. Buses are operated by the state-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which owns largest fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG)-fueled buses in the world. Personal vehicles especially cars also form a major chunk of vehicles plying on New Delhi roads. New Delhi has the highest number of registered cars compared to any other metropolitan city in India. Taxis and Auto Rickshaws also ply on New Delhi roads in large numbers. New Delhi has one of the highest road density in India.

Important Roads in New Delhi

Some roads and expressways serve as important pillars of New Delhi's road infrastructure:

National Highways passing through New Delhi

New Delhi is connected by road to the rest of India through National highways:

Railway

Station Name Station Code Railway Zone Total Platforms
New Delhi NDLS Northern Railway 16
Old Delhi DLI Northern Railway 16
Hazrat Nizamuddin NZM Northern Railway 7
Anand Vihar Terminal ANVT Northern Railway 7
Delhi Sarai Rohilla DEE Northern Railway 7

New Delhi is a major junction in the Indian railway network and is the headquarters of the Northern Railway. The five main railway stations are New Delhi railway station, Old Delhi, Nizamuddin Railway Station, Anand Vihar Railway Terminal and Sarai Rohilla.[56] The Delhi Metro, a mass rapid transit system built and operated by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), serves many parts of Delhi and the neighbouring cities Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad. As of August 2011, the metro consists of six operational lines with a total length of 189 km (117 mi) and 146 stations, and several other lines are under construction.[57] It carries millions of passengers every day.[58] In addition to the Delhi Metro, a suburban railway, the Delhi Suburban Railway exists.[59]

Metro

The Delhi Metro is a rapid transit system serving New Delhi, Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Noida, and Ghaziabad in the National Capital Region of India. Delhi Metro is the world's 12th largest metro system in terms of length. Delhi Metro was India's first modern public transportation system, which had revolutionised travel by providing a fast, reliable, safe, and comfortable means of transport. Presently, the Delhi Metro network consists of 213 kilometres (132 miles) of track, with 160 stations along with six more stations of the Airport Express Link. The network has now crossed the boundaries of Delhi to reach NOIDA and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh,Gurgaon and faridabad in Haryana. All stations have escalators, elevators, and tactile tiles to guide the visually impaired from station entrances to trains. It has a combination of elevated, at-grade, and underground lines, and uses both broad gauge and standard gauge rolling stock. Four types of rolling stock are used: Mitsubishi-ROTEM Broad gauge, Bombardier MOVIA, Mitsubishi-ROTEM Standard gauge, and CAF Beasain Standard gauge.According to a study, Delhi Metro has helped in removing about 390,000 vehicles from the streets of Delhi.

Delhi Metro is being built and operated by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited (DMRC), a state-owned company with equal equity participation from Government of India and Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. However, the organisation is under administrative control of Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India. Besides construction and operation of Delhi metro, DMRC is also involved in the planning and implementation of metro rail, monorail and high-speed rail projects in India and providing consultancy services to other metro projects in the country as well as abroad. The Delhi Metro project was spearheaded by Padma Vibhushan E. Sreedharan, the managing director of DMRC and popularly known as the "Metro Man" of India. He famously resigned from DMRC, taking moral responsibility for a metro bridge collapse which took five lives. Sreedharan was awarded with the prestigious Legion of Honour by the French Government for his contribution to Delhi Metro.

Demographics

New Delhi has a population of 249,998.[2] Hindi and Punjabi are the most widely spoken languages in New Delhi and the lingua franca of the city. English is primarily used as the formal language by business and government institutes.[60] New Delhi has a literacy rate of 89.38% according to 2011 census, which is highest in Delhi.

Religion

The Laxminarayan Temple is a famous Hindu temple in New Delhi.
The Sacred Heart Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral and designed by British architect Henry Medd based on Italian architecture.
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib a Sikh gurdwara in New Delhi.

Hinduism is the religion of 79.8% of New Delhi's population. There are also communities of Muslims (12.9%), Sikhs (5.4%), Jains (1.1%) and Christians (0.9%) in Delhi.[61] Other religious groups (2.5%) include Parsis, Buddhists and Jews.[62]

Others include Christians (0.9%) & Baha'is (0.1%)

Religion in New Delhi[63]
Religion Percent
Hinduism
  
 79.8%
Islam
  
 12.9%
Sikhism
  
 5%
Jainism
  
 1.1%
Others
  
 1.2%

Culture

New Delhi is a cosmopolitan city due to the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural presence of the vast Indian bureaucracy and political system. The city's capital status has amplified the importance of national events and holidays. National events such as Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti (Gandhi's birthday) are celebrated with great enthusiasm in New Delhi and the rest of India. On India's Independence Day (15 August) the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation from the Red Fort. Most Delhiites celebrate the day by flying kites, which are considered a symbol of freedom.[64] The Republic Day Parade is a large cultural and military parade showcasing India's cultural diversity and military might.[65][66]

Religious festivals include Diwali (the festival of light), Maha Shivaratri, Teej, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Baisakhi, Durga Puja, Holi, Lohri, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha, Christmas, Chhath Puja and Mahavir Jayanti.[66] The Qutub Festival is a cultural event during which performances of musicians and dancers from all over India are showcased at night, with the Qutub Minar as the chosen backdrop of the event.[67] Other events such as Kite Flying Festival, International Mango Festival and Vasant Panchami (the Spring Festival) are held every year in Delhi.

There are also a number of Iglesia ni Cristo members, most of them Filipinos and some Indians who are married to the members.

In 2007, the Japanese Buddhist organisation Nipponzan Myohoji decided to build a Peace Pagoda in the city containing Buddha relics. It was inaugurated by the current Dalai Lama.

Cityscape

Architecture

The New Delhi town plan, like its architecture, was chosen with one single chief consideration: to be a symbol of British power and supremacy.[18][68][69] All other decisions were subordinate to this, and it was this framework that dictated the choice and application of symbology and influences from both Hindu and Islamic architecture.[68][70]

It took about 20 years to build the city from 1911.[71] Many elements of New Delhi architecture borrow from indigenous sources; however, they fit into a British Classical/Palladian tradition. The fact that there were any indigenous features in the design were due to the persistence and urging of both the Viceroy Lord Hardinge and historians like E.B. Havell.[70]

Historic sites, museums and gardens

The National Museum in New Delhi is one of the largest museums in India.

New Delhi is home to several historic sites and museums. The National Museum which began with an exhibition of Indian art and artefacts at the Royal Academy in London in the winter of 1947–48[72] was later at the end was shown at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in 1949. Later it was to form a permanent National Museum. On 15 August 1949, the National Museum was formally inaugurated and currently has 200,000 works of art, both of Indian and foreign origin, covering over 5,000 years.[73]

The India Gate built in 1931 was inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.[70] It is the national monument of India commemorating the 90,000 soldiers of the Indian Army who lost their lives while fighting for the British Raj in World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War.[70]

The Rajpath which was built similar to the Champs-Élysées in Paris is the ceremonial boulevard for the Republic of India located in New Delhi. The annual Republic Day parade takes place here on 26 January.

The Rajghat, the final resting place of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi is the location where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life and was assassinated on 30 January 1948. Rajghat is the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated on 31 January 1948 after his assassination and his ashes were buried and make it a final resting place beside the sanctity of the Yamuna River. The Raj Ghat in the shape of large square platform with black marble was designed by architect Vanu Bhuta.

Jantar Mantar located in Connaught Place was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. It consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments. The primary purpose of the observatory was to compile astronomical tables, and to predict the times and movements of the sun, moon and planets.

New Delhi is home to Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art, National Museum of Natural History, National Rail Museum, National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, National Philatelic Museum, Nehru Planetarium, Shankar's International Dolls Museum.[74] and Supreme Court of India Museum.[75]

In the coming years, a new National War Memorial and Museum will be constructed in New Delhi[76][77] for ₹4000 million (US$59 million).[78][79]

New Delhi is particularly renowned for its beautifully landscaped gardens that can look quite stunning in spring. The largest of these include Buddha Jayanti Park and the historic Lodi Gardens. In addition, there are the gardens in the Presidential Estate, the gardens along the Rajpath and India Gate, the gardens along Shanti Path, the Rose Garden, Nehru Park and the Railway Garden in Chanakya Puri. Also of note is the garden adjacent to the Jangpura Metro Station near the Defence Colony Flyover, as are the roundabout and neighbourhood gardens throughout the city.

Sports

The 2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. In the foreground is the aerostat

The city hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games and annually hosts Delhi Half Marathon foot-race. The city has previously hosted the 1951 Asian Games and the 1982 Asian Games. New Delhi was interested[80] in bidding for the 2019 Asian Games but was turned down by the government on 2 August 2010 amid allegations of corruption in 2010 Commonwealth Games .[81]

Major sporting venues in New Delhi include the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Ambedkar Stadium, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, R.K. Khanna Tennis Complex, Dhyan Chand National Stadium and Siri Fort Sports Complex.

Club Sport League Stadium Span
Delhi Daredevils Cricket IPL Feroz Shah Kotla Ground 2008–present
Delhi Wizards Field hockey WSH Dhyan Chand National Stadium 2011–present
Delhi Waveriders Field hockey HIL Dhyan Chand National Stadium 2013–present
Delhi Acers Badminton PBL DDA Badminton and Squash Stadium 2015–present
Dabang Delhi Kabaddi PKL Thyagaraj Sports Complex 2014–present
Delhi Dynamos FC Football ISL Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium 2014–present
Indian Aces Tennis IPTL Indira Gandhi Arena 2014–present
Dilli Veer Wrestling PWL K. D. Jadhav Wrestling Stadium 2015–present

Economy

A view of a road at Connaught Place showing busy traffic
Connaught Place in Delhi is an important economic hub of the National Capital Region

New Delhi is the largest commercial city in northern India. It has an estimated net State Domestic Product (FY 2010) of ₹1595 billion (US$24 billion) in nominal terms and ~₹6800 billion (US$100 billion) in PPP terms.[82] As of 2013, the per capita income of Delhi was Rs. 230000, second highest in India after Goa. GSDP in Delhi at the current prices for 2012–13 is estimated at Rs 3.88 trillion (short scale) against Rs 3.11 trillion (short scale) in 2011–12.[83]

Connaught Place, one of North India's largest commercial and financial centres, is located in the northern part of New Delhi. Adjoining areas such as Barakhamba Road, ITO are also major commercial centres. Government and quasi government sector was the primary employer in New Delhi. The city's service sector has expanded due in part to the large skilled English-speaking workforce that has attracted many multinational companies. Key service industries include information technology, telecommunications, hotels, banking, media and tourism.

The 2011 World Wealth Report ranks economic activity in New Delhi at 39, but overall the capital is ranked at 37, above cities like Jakarta and Johannesburg.[84] New Delhi with Beijing shares the top position as the most targeted emerging markets retail destination among Asia-Pacific markets.[85]

The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi does not release any economic figures specifically for New Delhi but publishes an official economic report on the whole of Delhi annually. According to the Economic Survey of Delhi, the metropolis has a net State Domestic Product (SDP) of Rs. 830.85 billion (for the year 2004–05)[86] and a per capita income of Rs. 53,976($1,200).[86] In the year 2008–09 New Delhi had a Per Capita Income of Rs. 116,886 ($2,595).It grew by 16.2% to reach Rs. 135,814 ($3,018) in 2009–10 fiscal. New Delhi's Per Capita GDP (at PPP) was at $6,860 during 2009–10 fiscal, making it one of the richest cities in India. The tertiary sector contributes 78.4% of Delhi's gross SDP followed by secondary and primary sectors with 20.2% and 1.4% contribution respectively.[86]

The gross state domestic product (GSDP) of Delhi at current prices for the year 2011–12 has been estimated at Rs 3.13 trillion (short scale), which is an increase of 18.7 per cent over the previous fiscal.[87]

International relations and organisations

The city is home to numerous international organisations. The Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology of the UNESCAP servicing the Asia-Pacific region is headquartered in New Delhi.[88] New Delhi is home to most UN regional offices in India namely the UNDP, UNODC, UNESCO, UNICEF, WFP, UNV, UNCTAD, FAO, UNFPA, WHO, World Bank, ILO, IMF, UNIFEM, IFC and UNAIDS.

New Delhi hosts 145 foreign embassies and high commissions.

Summits

New Delhi hosted the 7th NAM Summit in 1983 and 4th BRICS Summit[89] in 2012. The city hosted the IBSA Summit in 2015.[90][91]

See also

References

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Bibliography

External links

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