NEW DELHI
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is 42.7 km2.. It hosts 134 foreign embassies and high commissions.
The foundation of the city was laid on December 15, 1911. It was planned by two leading 20th century British architects namely Sir Edwin Lutyens andSir Herbert Baker. The new Capital was christened "New Delhi" in 1927, and subsequently inaugurated on February 13, 1931, by British India's Governor-General Lord Irwin. On December 12, 2011, New Delhi celebrated 100 years of Capitalship, making it another landmark year in the long history of the historic Capital region of Delhi. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and has a total population of nearing three hundred thousand residents. New Delhi is one of the world’s top global cities. It is the most expensive city in India for expatriates in terms of cost of living. New Delhi is known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards and is home to numerous national institutions, museums and landmarks.
Calcutta was the capital of India until December 1911 during the British Government. However, Delhi had served as the political and financial centre of several empires of ancient and Delhi Sultanate, most notably of the Mughal Empirefrom 1649 to 1857. During the early 1900s, a proposal was made to the British administration to shift the capital of the British 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. On December 12, 1911, during the Delhi Durbar, George V, the Emperor of India, along with Queen Mary, his Consort, made the announcement that the capital of the Government was to be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi, while laying the foundation stone for the Viceroy's residence in the Coronation Park, Kingsway Camp.
The foundation stone of New Delhi was laid by King George V and Queen Mary at the site of Delhi Durbar of 1911 at Kingsway Camp on December 15, 1911, during their imperial visit. Large parts of New Delhi were planned by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, both leading 20th century British architects, and the contract was given to Sobha Singh. Lutyens first visited Delhi in 1912, and construction really began after World War I and was completed by 1931, when the city later dubbed "Lutyens' Delhi" was inaugurated on February 13, 1931, by Lord Irwin, the Viceroy. Lutyens laid out the central administrative area of the city as a testament to Britain's imperial aspirations.
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, 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 1920s. Built in 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 Government.
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 Act, 1991 declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be formally known as National Capital Territory of Delhi. A system of diarchy 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. Two big spurts of growth in the city, came when the city hosted international sports events, first the 1982 Asian Games and more recently the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The city celebrated 100 years as Capital on 12 December, 2011.
As the city celebrated 100 years of its re-emergence as modern India's capital, Delhi government and other cultural agencies like the Indian Council for Cultural Relations have lined up for a later date, a series of celebrations to mark the occasion. A book with pictorial references and articles about the city by eminent persons like Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Malvika Singh chronicling its culturally diverse heritage since Mughal era was launched here by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
While celebrating the 100th year as India’s capital, Delhi is adding its name in the top list of ‘India City Competitiveness Report’ for the second consecutive year. The six metropolitan cities that is, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad are still the prominent competitors in the list of top 10 Competitive Indian Cities. Delhi was also opted as one of the best cities for job hunters by exhibiting a significant job growth of 12 percent in the Employment Index during last one year. Being the national capital, Delhi has a major role in the political, cultural, commercial, educational and career service sectors. Census 2011 preliminary reports also points out that Delhi is culturally rich by accommodating a large number of inter-state migrants.
The climate of New Delhi is a monsoon influenced humid subtropical climate with high variation between summer and winter, in terms of both temperatures and rainfall. The temperature varies from 40°C in summers to around 7°C in winters. Summers are long, from early April to October, with the monsoon season in between. Winter starts in November and peaks in January. The annual mean temperature is around 25 °C, monthly daily mean temperatures range from approximately 14 to 34 °C. The average annual rainfall is 714 millimetres, most of which is during the monsoons in July and August.
The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931. Originally known as All India War Memorial, it is a prominent landmark in Delhi and commemorates the 90,000 soldiers of the Indian Army who lost their lives while fighting for the Indian Empire, or more correctly the British Government in World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. It is composed of red and pale sand stone and granite.
In sports events, 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. It will bid for the 2019 Asian Games and the 2024 Olympic Games.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
No comments :
Post a Comment