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New Delhi




  state Name Delhi NCT
  type capital
  locator Position right
  skyline Picture-47jpg
  latd 287 longd=772
  ut Name National capital territory
  district New Delhi
  altitude 216
  population As Of 2006
  population Total 321,883 {Link without Title}
  population Density 9294
  area Magnitude 9
  area Total 427
  website wwwndmcgovin
  area Telephone 011
  postal Code 110 xxx
  vehicle Code Range DL-0


New Delhi (, , ) is a modern metropolis that is the capital city of the Republic Of India . Located within the city of Delhi , 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.


HISTORY


, a World Heritage Site ]]
See Also: History of Delhi


Delhi has been traditionally the capital of India, although Calcutta was the capital until 1911 during the British Raj. 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 1900 s, 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 .
commemorates Indian soldiers who lost their lives in World War I ]]
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.


GEOGRAPHY


See Also: Climate of Delhi




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 .


URBAN STRUCTURE


New Delhi is structured around two central Promenade s 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.


TRANSPORT


See Also: Transport in Delhi



Public transport in New Delhi is provided by Bus es, Auto Rickshaw s, a Rapid Transit system, taxis and suburban railways.


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 cordinates 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.


Metro

See Also: Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System


, operated by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation Limited ]]
  Before Alexandria
  Title World Book Capital
  Years 2003