New Delhi

INTRO
Rashtrapati Bhawan (Presidential Palace), India Gate, Rajpath( King's Way), Connaught Place, Sansad Bhawan( Parliament House), Janpath, Jantar Mantar, Humayun's Tomb These imposing sites are to be found in New Delhi, the modern capital of India and the seat of the government of the Dehli National Capital Territory. The imperial city of New Delhi was founded by the British and displays the finely-curved architecture of the British Raj. You can feel the pulse of this commercial and administrative hub along its well-composed and spacious streets. Beguiling avenues rest under the shade of beautifully aligned trees and grandiose governmental buildings, which all convey a unique sense of order.

City Profile
City: New Delhi
Country: India
Area: 42.7 km2
Population: 321,883
Districts: 3
Chairperson of NDMC: Sh.Parimal Rai
Language: Hindi, English, Punjabi, Urdu
Rating:

LOCATION
New Delhi is situated in northern India and lies for the most part in the Gangetic plains. The Delhi ridge is the only geographical feature to indicate that once New Delhi was a part of the Aravalies, which used to add a tint of green to the city. New Delhi can basically be characterized as a landlocked city apart from the fact that it is located west of the banks of the Yamuna River.

TIME TO VISIT
The location of New Delhi gives it an extreme type of continental climate. A summer and a winter season can be clearly distinguished. Summers are extremely hot with a maximum daily temperature of 41°C in May. The monsoon at the end of June brings intense humidity and heavy rain. Winters are very cold as the minimum daily temperature in January is 7 °C. They are marked by mist and fog in the morning and the cold wave from the Himalayas makes them quite chilly. The periods February-April and August-November can be defined as spring seasons and February-March is particularly the bloom season. They appear to be the most recommendable time to visit New Delhi.

POPULATION
The city of New Delhi has a total population of 321,883 people, whereas the National Capital Territory has a population of 18,031,488 million people, that makes it the second largest metropolitan area in India after Mumbai. The majority of the inhabitants of New Delhi are Hindus but there are also representatives of other religious groups such as Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Christians. The official languages are four: Hindi is the principal official language and English is an associate official language while Punjabi and Urdu are second official languages.

DISTRICTS
The National Capital Territory of Delhi is divided into nine districts including New Delhi, which is administered by the New Delhi Municipal Council. The district itself has three subdivisions, famous for different reasons.

Connaught Placeis the central business district. Located close to the New Delhi railway station, it is also a prominent shopping, dining and entertainment spot.
Chanakyapuri lies at the heart of New Delhi and comprises one of the posh areas of Delhi. It is namely the diplomatic enclave that houses most of the embassies in India.
Lutyens' Delhi is named after the British architect Edwin Lutyens, who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building under the British Raj. It is the central administrative district, housing some impressive monuments and government buildings.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
The majestic imperial past of New Delhi is a vital prerequisite for its appeal to visitors and tourists. Apart from the dazzling gems of British colonial architecture, the city also has some famous historic monuments in store for you.

Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace) is the official residence of India's President. It was until 1950 known as "Viceroy's House" since it was used as the residence of the Governor-General of India. The Palace was designed by Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1929. Standing on the marvelous Raisina Hill, it represents a brilliant amalgam of Mughal and classical European architectural styles. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://presidentofindia.nic.in/scripts/rashbhav1.jsp
India Gate belongs to the most famous landmarks of Delhi. It was built by Edwin Lutyens in 1931 to commemorate the 90.000 Indian soldiers, who deceased during the World War I and the Afghan Wars. This 42 metres high arch gate is located on Rajpath and surrounded by green lawns. It also houses the Amar Jawan Jyoti (the flame of the immortal warrior). More info at: http://www.info2india.com/rajasthan/india-gate-delhi.html
Jantar Mantar/Yantra Mandir is an astronomical observatory, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1724. It consists of a number of architectural astronomy instruments with the supreme instrument being a large structure shaped like a right-angled triangle. These devices were formerly used to predict the times and movements of the sun. Today the observatory is however mainly a tourist attraction. More info at: http://www.delhi-india.net/travel/jantarmantar.html
Humayun's tomb is a complex of Mughal architectural buildings. The main building is the tomb of the Emperor Humayun, built by order of his wife from 1562 to 1570. Created in the same style as Taj Mahal, the complex is actually the first example of this type of Mughal architecture in India and is therefore a World Heritage Site. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://wikitravel.org/en/Delhi
The National Museum is located on Janpath in New Delhi. It was founded in 1960. Its extraordinary collection represents the entire span of Indian civilizations from pre-historic times. That is why it serves as a great introduction to the traditions of the country. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://wikitravel.org/en/Delhi

AIRPORT
New Delhi is easily accessible from almost every part of the world. There is one international airport that serves as a main gateway to the country.

Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport serves for international (Terminal 2) and domestic connections (Terminals 1A, 1B). The international terminal is situated 11 km southwest of the city centre. The easiest and safest way to get there is by arranging transport beforehand from your hotel or by taxi. You should use the prepaid taxi booths in the international terminal to order a taxi. The booth operated by the Delhi Police is said to be the best with fares of Rs.200-300 to most points in the city. More info at: http://www.aai.aero/igi/index.jsp

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
Public transport in the city of New Delhi is provided by a number of means of transport:

Buses are the most popular, the cheapest and the least comfortable way of getting around the city. There are government run DTC buses and privately run Blue-Line buses. They are both quite frequent and fares range from Rs.2 to 10.
The Metro network is equipped with three lines and provides a cheap, fast and air-conditioned way of commuting in the city. Fares: Rs. 6 - 22. Trains run daily, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Taxis are metred. In general they cost Rs. 6 to start plus Rs. 7/km, but it's better to agree on the price in advance. There is also a modern radio taxi service, costing Rs.15/km.
Auto rickshaws are also called three-wheeled scooters or simply autos. They are proper for shorter trips. Although there is a regulated by the law fare structure (Rs. 8 for the first km, Rs. 3.50/km after), the average fee is in the range of Rs.20 to Rs.75.
Cycle rickshaws are another kind of rickshaws used for short distances. They don't use meters, so you'd better establish a price before getting on. Rs. 20 is a reasonable price for journeys of a kilometer or two.

HISTORY
The history of New Delhi began when the British decided to move the capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911. New Delhi was laid out to the south of Old Delhi, constructed during the Mughal Empire. The British built the city in an imposing imperial style. The leading British architect Edwin Lutyens planned the central administrative area. After the independence of India in 1947, New Delhi was granted a limited autonomy and a Chief Commissioner, appointed by the country's government, took charge of its administration. Delhi became a union territory in 1956 and the Chief Commissioner was replaced by a Lieutenant. The union territory was proclaimed as National Capital Territory of Delhi by the Constitution Act of 1991, which was finally enforced in 1993.

CITY LINKS

The Times of India, A Daily Newspaper in English: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
New Delhi Municipal Council: http://www.ndmc.gov.in/index800.aspx
Interesting Places in Bangkok: http://www.delhitourism.com/
Useful Tips: http://wikitravel.org/en/Delhi
City Guide: http://www.newdelhi.net/

UNIVERSITY LINKS

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), the largest national university: http://www.ignou.ac.in/
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi), ranked #2 amongst Top Indian Engineering Colleges: http://www.iitd.ac.in/
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), one of the most prestigious universities in Asia: http://www.jnu.ac.in/