New Delhi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ?New Delhi Delhi NCT • India |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Area • Elevation |
42.7 km² (16 sq mi) • 216 m (709 ft) |
| District(s) | New Delhi |
| Population • Density |
321,883 [1] (2006) • 9,294/km² (24,071/sq mi) |
| Codes • Pincode • Telephone • Vehicle |
• 110 xxx • +011 • DL-0? |
| Website: www.ndmc.gov.in | |
New Delhi (Hindi: नई दिल्ली, Punjabi: ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ, Urdu: نئی دلی) is an urban area within the metropolis of Delhi that is the capital city of the Republic of India. New Delhi was planned by Edwin Lutyens, a leading 20th century British architect. It houses the Indian Government and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, making it the powerhouse of Indian politics.
Contents |
[edit] History
Delhi has been traditionally the capital of India, although Calcutta was the capital until 1911 during the British Rule. However, Delhi had served as the political and financial centre of several empires of ancient India, most notably of the Mughal Empire. During the early 1900s, a proposal was made to the British administration to shift the capital of the Indian Empire from Calcutta to Delhi. Unlike Calcutta, which was located on the eastern coast of India, Delhi was located in northern India and the Government of British India felt that it would be easier to administer India from Delhi rather than from Calcutta. Owing to its historic and cultural importance, George V, the then Emperor of India, made the announcement the capital of the Raj was to be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.[1]
New Delhi was laid out to the south of the Old City which was constructed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. However, New Delhi overlays the site of seven ancient cities and hence includes many historic monuments like the Jantar Mantar and the Humayun's Tomb.
Much of New Delhi was planned by Edwin Lutyens, a leading 20th century British architect and it has been dubbed "Lutyens' Delhi". Lutyens laid out the central administrative area of the city as a testament to Britain's imperial pretensions. At the heart of the city was the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhawan (then known as Viceroy's House) which sat atop Raisina Hill. The Rajpath, also known as King's Way, stretched from the India Gate to the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Secretariat which houses various ministries of the Government of India, flanked out of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Parliament House, designed by Herbert Baker, is located at the Sansad Marg, which runs parallel to the Rajpath.
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 gradually 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.[2] 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 .
[edit] Geography
New Delhi lies in northern India, almost entirely in the Gangetic plains. New Delhi was once a part of the Aravalies, but all that is left now is the Delhi ridge, the first prominent geographical feature. The second feature is the Yamuna floodplains; New Delhi lies west of the Yamuna river, although for the most part, New Delhi is 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 major earthquakes.[3]
New Delhi and its vicinity have a somewhat exaggerated continental climate due to its distance from the coasts and location with respect to mountain ranges. The temperature varies from 45 degrees Celsius in summers to around 4 degrees Celsius in winters.[4]
- See also: Climate of Delhi
[edit] 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 National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) and five members nominated by the central government. The current Chief Minister of the NCT is Sheila Dikshit.
New Delhi is governed by its own municipal government, known as the New Delhi Municipal Council. Other urban areas of the metropolis of Delhi are administered by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and are hence not considered a part of the capital city. However, the entire metropolis of Delhi is commonly known as New Delhi in contrast to Old Delhi.
[edit] Urban structure
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, formerly Queen's Way, begins at Connaught Circus and cuts the Shantipath at right angles.
At the heart of the city is the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhawan (formerly known as Viceroy's House) which sits atop Raisina Hill. The Secretariat which houses various ministries of the Government of India, flanks out of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Parliament House, designed by Herbert Baker, is located at the Sansad Marg, which runs parallel to the Rajpath.
[edit] Transport
Public transport in New Delhi is provided by buses, auto rickshaws, a rapid transit system, taxis and suburban railways.
[edit] Bus
Buses are the most popular means of transport catering to about 60% of the total demand.[5] The state-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is a major bus service provider for the city, which operates not-only in Delhi, but also many inter-states routes. The mofussil buses operate around 34 depots, and the inter-state buses operate from the three Inter State Bus Terminals in Kashmere Gate, Sarai Kale Khan and Anand Vihar. DTC coordinates with Delhi Metro to connect commuters in areas surrounding the metro stations. The DTC now operates the world's largest fleet of environment-friendly CNG buses.[6] While the buses in Delhi are very cheap, they have a mixed safety record and are often overcrowded. In 2007, only 750 of 4500 buses passed their safety inspections and many were taken off the road for repairs.[citation needed]
[edit] Metro
A world class metro system has been instituted in New Delhi. In order to meet the transport demand in Delhi, the State and Union government started the construction of a mass rapid transit system, including the Delhi Metro.[5] As of 2007, the metro operates three lines with a total length of 65 km (40 miles) and 59 stations while several other lines are under construction.[7] As of November, 2006:
| Line name | Number | Between stations |
|---|---|---|
| ● Red Line | 1 | Shahdara - Rithala |
| ● Yellow Line | 2 | Vishwa Vidyalaya - Central Secretariat |
| ● Blue Line | 3 | Indraprastha - Dwarka Sub City |
[edit] Taxi and rickshaw
Auto-rickshaws are popular in New Delhi, and are popularly known as scooters. They are usually coloured green and yellow and many run on CNG. Taxi-cabs are not as prevalent and tend to be more expensive. However, both private taxis and the state-permit taxis (which are black and yellow in color) are easily accessible.
Private vehicles account for 30% of the total demand for transport.[5] At 1922.32 km of road length per 100 km², Delhi has one of the highest road densities in India.[5] Delhi is well connected to other parts of India by five National Highways: NH 1, 2, 8, 10 and 24. Roads in New Delhi are maintained by MCD, NDMC, Delhi Cantonment Board, Public Works Department (PWD) and Delhi Development Authority.[8]
[edit] Suburban railway
Railways served only 1% of the local traffic until 2003.[5] However Delhi is a major junction in the rail map of India and is the headquarters of the Northern Railway. The four main railway stations are Old Delhi, Nizamuddin Railway Station, Sarai Rohilla and New Delhi Railway Station.[5]
[edit] Air
Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) is situated in the southwestern corner of Delhi and serves for domestic and international connections. In 2006–07, the IGI airport recorded a traffic of more than 19.4 million passengers,[9] making it the second busiest airport in South Asia. Safdarjung Airport is the other airfield in Delhi used for general aviation purpose.[10]
[edit] Demographics
In 2003, New Delhi had a total population of 295,000. The National Capital Territory of Delhi, of which New Delhi is a part of, had a population of 14.1 million people making it the second largest metropolitan area in India after Mumbai.[11] There are 821 women per 1000 men, and the literacy rate is 81.82%.[12]
[edit] Culture
New Delhi'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.[13] The Republic Day Parade is a large cultural and military parade showcasing India's cultural diversity and military might.[14][15]
Religious festivals include Diwali (the festival of light), Durga Puja, Holi, Lohri, Maha Shivaratri, Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha and Buddha Jayanti.[15] 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.[16] Other events such as Kite Flying Festival, International Mango Festival and Vasant Panchami (the Spring Festival) are held every year in Delhi.
Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex in Delhi, India. It was inaugurated in November 2005 by the President of India, Abdul Kalam, the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS - the organization responsible for the creation of Akshardham. Sitting on the banks of the Yamuna River, adjacent to the proposed Commonwealth Games village, the complex features a large monument, crafted entirely of stone, permanent exhibitions on Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Hinduism, an IMAX cinema, musical fountain, and large landscaped gardens. .llj
[edit] Economy
With an estimated net State Domestic Product (SDP) of 83,085 crores (830.85 billion) Indian rupee (INR) (for the year 2004–05),[17] Delhi is an important commercial center in South Asia. Delhi has a per capita income of 53,976 INR which is around 2.5 times of the national average.[17] The tertiary sector contributes 70.95% of Delhi's gross SDP followed by secondary and primary sectors with 25.2% and 3.85% contribution respectively.[17]
In 2004, the total workforce in all government (union and state) and quasi government sector was 620,000. In comparison, organised private sector employed 219,000.[18] Delhi'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. Delhi's manufacturing industry has also grown considerably as many consumer goods industries have established manufacturing units and headquarters in and around Delhi. Delhi's large consumer market, coupled with the easy availability of skilled labour, has attracted foreign investment in Delhi. In 2001, the manufacturing sector employed 1,440,000 workers while the number of industrial units was 129,000.[19] Construction, power, telecommunications, health and community services, and real estate form integral parts of Delhi's economy. Delhi's retail industry is one of the fastest growing industries in India.[20]
[edit] References
- ^ Hall, P (2002). Cities of Tomorrow. Blackwell Publishing, pp.198-206. ISBN 0631232524.
- ^ THE CONSTITUTION (SIXTY-NINTH AMENDMENT) ACT, 1991. THE CONSTITUTION (AMENDMENT) ACTS, THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA. National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Government of India. Retrieved on 2007-01-08.
- ^ Hazard profiles of Indian districts (PDF). National Capacity Building Project in Disaster Management. UNDP. Archived from the original on 2006-05-16. Retrieved on 2006-08-23.
- ^ Delhi Tourism - Climate. Retrieved on 2007-03-10.
- ^ a b c d e f Chapter 12: Transport (PDF). Economic Survey of Delhi, 2005–2006 pp130–146. Planning Department, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
- ^ Citizen Charter. Delhi Transport Corporation. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
- ^ Station Information. www.delhimetrorail.com. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (DMRC)). Retrieved on 2007-01-14.
- ^ I.Prasada Rao; Dr. P.K. Kanchan, Dr. P.K. Nanda. GIS Based Maintenance Management System (GMMS) For Major Roads Of Delhi. Map India 2006: Transportation. GISdevelopment.net. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.
- ^ Delhi – Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) information. Essential Travel Ltd., UK.. Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
- ^ VIDD - Airport. Great Circle Search. Karl L. Swartz. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.
- ^ World Urbanization Prospects The 2003 Revision. ([PDF) p7. United Nations. Retrieved on 2006-04-29.
- ^ Cite error 8; No text given.
- ^ Independence Day. 123independenceday.com. Compare Infobase Limited. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
- ^ Ray Choudhury, Ray Choudhury (January 28, 2002). R-Day parade, an anachronism?. The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved on 2007-01-13.
- ^ a b Fairs & Festivals of Delhi. Delhi Travel. India Tourism.org. Retrieved on 2007-01-13.
- ^ Tankha, Madhur. "It's Sufi and rock at Qutub Fest", New Delhi, The Hindu, 15 December 2005. Retrieved on 2007-01-13.
- ^ a b c Chapter 2: State Income (PDF). Economic Survey of Delhi, 2005–2006 pp8–16. Planning Department, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
- ^ Chapter 5: Employment and unemployment (PDF). Economic Survey of Delhi, 2005–2006 pp59–65. Planning Department, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. Retrieved on 2007-08-05.
- ^ Chapter 9: Industrial Development (PDF). Economic Survey of Delhi, 2005–06 pp94–107. Planning Department, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
- ^ India's Retail Industry. India Brand Equity Foundation. Retrieved on 2007-01-04.
[edit] External links
- New Delhi India CityGuide
- New Delhi Municipal Council
- Interactive Map of Delhi using Google API
- MapmyIndia's interactive map of New Delhi, along with directions and local search
| Preceded by Alexandria |
World Book Capital 2003 |
Succeeded by Antwerp |
 World Book Capitals |
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