New Delhi is situated in the heart of the capital city and was carved out of the southern portion of the ancient Old City of Delhi. It encompasses a total area of 42.7 sq. kms. out of the massive the Delhi metropolitan area. Located on the Indo-Gangetic Plain, this city displays an undulating area of different altitudes that is not very visible and it also falls under the seismic zone IV that makes it prone to earthquake. It also lies on the western side of the Yamuna River while the rest of its area is landlocked.
In fact, Historically, New Delhi was a part of the Aravalli Range and what we see today is the northern range of these Hills that are isolated and made of rocky ridges also known as the Delhi ridge which is an extension of the Aravalli Range. These Northern isolated rocky hills extend into Haryana and end near Delhi while the southern end of the Hill is situated at Palanpur near Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The highest peak of the Aravalli Range is located in Mount Abu and known as ‘Guru Shikhar’.
New Delhi is a well planned city that was designed by Edwin Lutyens who was one of the leading British architects of the 20th Century AD. This city is lined with wide roads fringed with tall green trees, Parks, Institutes, Shopping and Residential complexes.
New Delhi is the eighth city that overlays the southern part the previous seven ancient cities of Delhi that were constructed by the various Rulers of their individual Dynasties including the last medieval city that was constructed by the Mughal Dynasty which is known even today as the most dynamic and successful Empire of Northern India. They left behind a legacy of numerous architectural brilliance and monuments that are preserved today as Historical sites and attracts tourists and visitors in millions every year.
New Delhi was a co-planned effort of Herbert Baker along with Sir Edwin Lutyen who was the principle architect of the New City of Delhi. The responsibility to construct and complete the project as planned was awarded to Sir Sobha Singh who was a prominent contractor during that early 20th Century. In 1912, before the First World War, Edwin Lutyens visited Delhi and it was completed by 1931. It was named in honour after him as ‘Lutyens Delhi’. His architectural skills can still be seen in the Central Administrative Area of Delhi that forms the seat of the Government.
Raisina Hill was finalised as the site for constructing the Grand and Palatial House of the Viceroy of Delhi that was named by the British as the ‘Viceroy’s House’ and later was renamed as the Rashtrapati Bhavan post Independence. This Hill formed the perfect place for the Viceroy’s Mansion as it offered a panoramic view of the entire new city of Delhi as it was slightly elevated at a height of 226 metres or 741 feet high which is approximately 18 metres or 59 feet higher than the surrounding area of New Delhi. Raisina Hill was initially a part of the Raisina Pind Sikh Village that was situated opposite ‘Dinapanah’ Citadel which was once a part of the first city of Delhi named ‘Indraprastha’.
‘Raj Path’ was constructed with wide roads fringed with Tall trees along its entire stretch. During the British rule it was known as ‘King’s Way’ and stretches from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. The Secretariat was constructed for the numerous Ministries of the Government and the Parliament House which were both designed by Herbert Baker. Jan path, formerly known as ‘Queen’s Way’, was constructed to commence from the main commercial centre of Connaught Circus and stretch through Raj Path. Today, Shanti Path homes 19 foreign embassies and hence is the largest diplomatic enclave in India.
Today, New Delhi is a part of the cosmopolitan city of Delhi and showcases a blend of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural presence. Administratively, it is further divided into three sub districts that form an important part of the District of New Delhi.
Please click on the links below for more information about the sub districts.
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