107-606: Defence Colony is a neighbourhood in Delhi . It was built in the 1960s for veterans of the Indian Armed Forces . It serves as the administrative headquarters of the South East Delhi district of Delhi. It is popular for being centrally located to all major parts of the city, its well-maintained parks, broad streets, active community clubs, and notable residents from entertainment and politics. Defence Colony
214-554: A chief minister . New Delhi is jointly administered by the union government of India and the local government of Delhi , and serves as the capital of the nation as well as the NCT of Delhi. Delhi is also the centre of the National Capital Region, which is an "interstate regional planning" area created in 1985. Delhi hosted the inaugural 1951 Asian Games , the 1982 Asian Games , the 1983 Non-Aligned Movement summit,
321-633: A bloody fight known as the Siege of Delhi . The city came under the direct control of the British Government in 1858. It was made a district province of the Punjab . In 1911, it was announced that the capital of British-held territories in India was to be transferred from Calcutta to Delhi. This formally transferred on 12 December 1911. The name "New Delhi" was given in 1927, and the new capital
428-548: A combination of elevated, at-grade, and underground lines, and uses both broad gauge and standard gauge rolling stock. Four types of rolling stock are used: Mitsubishi–ROTEM Broad gauge, Bombardier MOVIA, Mitsubishi–ROTEM Standard gauge, and CAF Beasain Standard gauge. The Phase-I of Delhi Metro was built for US$ 2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹ 216 billion (US$ 2.6 billion). Phase-II has
535-561: A first-level administrative division, the National Capital Territory of Delhi has its own Legislative Assembly , Lieutenant Governor , the council of ministers, and Chief Minister . Members of the legislative assembly are directly elected from territorial constituencies in the NCT. The legislative assembly was abolished in 1956, after which direct federal control was implemented until it was re-established in 1993. The municipal corporation handles civic administration for
642-531: A sacred river in Hinduism , is the only major river flowing through Delhi. The Hindon River separates Ghaziabad from the eastern part of Delhi. The Delhi ridge originates from the Aravalli Range in the south and encircles the west, northeast, and northwest parts of the city. It reaches a height of 318 m (1,043 ft) and is a dominant feature of the region. In addition to the wetlands formed by
749-728: A sixteen-year hiatus during the reigns of Sher Shah Suri and Hemu from 1540 to 1556. Shah Jahan built the seventh city of Delhi that bears his name Shahjahanabad , which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1638 and is today known as the Old City or Old Delhi . After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire's influence declined rapidly as the Hindu Maratha Empire from Deccan Plateau rose to prominence. In 1737, Maratha forces led by Baji Rao I sacked Delhi following their victory against
856-418: A total length of 128 km (80 mi) and was completed by 2010. Delhi Metro completed 10 years of operation on 25 December 2012. It carries millions of passengers every day. Purana Qila Purana Qila ( lit. ' Old Fort ' ) is one of the oldest forts in Delhi , India . It was built by the second Mughal Emperor Humayun and Surid Sultan Sher Shah Suri . The fort forms
963-567: A total length of 348.12 kilometres (216.31 mi). The system has a mix of underground, at-grade, and elevated stations using both broad-gauge and standard-gauge . All stations have escalators, lifts, and tactile tiles to guide the visually impaired from station entrances to trains. There are 18 designated parking sites at the Metro stations. In March 2010, DMRC partnered with Google India (through Google Transit) to provide train schedule and route information to mobile devices with Google Maps. It has
1070-561: A wall defending Dinpanah of Humayun. Purana Qila and its environs flourished as the "sixth city of Delhi" . On 7 October 1556 Hindu king Hem Chandra Vikramaditya , who had defeated Akbar's forces at Battle of Delhi (1556) was crowned in Purana Qila. The Mughals would one month later decisively defeated Hemu and his army at the second battle of Panipat . Edwin Lutyens who designed the new capital of British India , New Delhi, in
1177-508: Is 963 MGD. The shortfall is met by private and public tube wells and hand pumps . At 240 MGD, the Bhakra storage is DJB's largest water source, followed by the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. Delhi's groundwater level is falling and its population density is increasing, so residents often encounter acute water shortage. Research on Delhi suggests that up to half of the city's water use
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#17328022102541284-478: Is a major bus service provider which operates the world's largest fleet of CNG-fuelled buses. In addition, cluster scheme buses are operated by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) with the participation of private concessionaires and DTC. In December 2017, the DTC and cluster buses carried over 4.19 million passengers per day. Kashmiri Gate ISBT , Anand Vihar ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT are
1391-593: Is a major junction in the Indian railway network and is the headquarters of the Northern Railway . The main railway stations are New Delhi , Old Delhi , Hazrat Nizamuddin , Anand Vihar , Delhi Sarai Rohilla and Delhi Cantt . The Delhi Metro , a mass rapid transit system built and operated by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), serves many parts of Delhi and the neighbouring cities Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon and Noida . As of December 2021 ,
1498-429: Is bordered on its northern, western, and southern sides by the state of Haryana and to the east by that of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Two prominent features of the geography of Delhi are the Yamuna flood plains and the Delhi ridge . The Yamuna River was the historical boundary between Punjab and UP, and its flood plains provide fertile alluvial soil suitable for agriculture but, are prone to recurrent floods. The Yamuna,
1605-686: Is bounded by the Ring Road . To its east and west are Lala Lajpat Rai Marg and Bhishma Pitamah Marg respectively. The North of Defence Colony is bounded by the tracks of the Delhi Ring Railway . Delhi Delhi , officially the National Capital Territory ( NCT ) of Delhi , is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi , the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to
1712-571: Is generally moderate (101–200) level between January and September, and then it drastically deteriorates to Very Poor (301–400), Severe (401–500) or Hazardous (500+) levels in three months between October and December, due to various factors including stubble burning (a type of biomass burning ), fire crackers burning during Diwali and cold weather. During 2013–14, peak levels of fine particulate matter (PM) increased by about 44%, primarily due to high vehicular and industrial emissions, construction work and crop burning in adjoining states. It has
1819-498: Is home to many restaurants, coffee shops , art galleries and, shops. Defence Colony was created in the aftermath of the partition in 1947 . Newly independent India allotted land to resettle serving Indian military officers whose homes lay across the new border in Muslim-majority Pakistan . Besides its central location from most parts of the city of Delhi, the locality is immensely popular among all Delhiites for
1926-640: Is included in India's seismic zone-IV , indicating its vulnerability to major earthquakes. Delhi features a dry winter humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cwa ) bordering a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSh ). The warm season lasts from 21 March to 15 June with an average daily high temperature above 39 °C (102 °F). The hottest day of the year is usually witnessed between 26 and 30 May, with an average high of 42 °C (108 °F) and low of 27 °C (81 °F). The cold season lasts from 26 November to 9 February with an average daily high temperature below 20 °C (68 °F). The coldest day of
2033-554: Is lobbying "against the report" because it is "inconvenient" to the automobile industry. Environmentalists have also criticised the Delhi government for not doing enough to curb air pollution and to inform people about air quality issues. In 2014, an environmental panel appealed to India's Supreme Court to impose a 30% cess on diesel cars, but till date no action has been taken to penalise the automobile industry. Most of Delhi's residents are unaware of alarming levels of air pollution in
2140-517: Is part of a literary description in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata (composed c. 400 BCE to 300 CE but describing an earlier time ) which situates a city on a knoll on the banks of the river Yamuna. According to art historian Catherine B. Asher, the topographical description of the Mahabharata matches the area of Purana Qila , a 14th-century CE fort of the Delhi sultanate , but
2247-575: Is referenced in various idioms of the Northern Indo-Aryan languages . Examples include: The form Delhi , spelled in the Latin script with the h following the l , originated under colonial rule and is an alternation of the spelling based on the Urdu name of the city ( دہلی , Dehli ). Traditionally seven cities have been associated with the region of Delhi. The earliest, Indraprastha ,
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#17328022102542354-513: Is the highest in the Delhi before Supreme Court. The High Court of Delhi just like the apex court and other High Courts in India is the Court of record. Delhi is also home to various District Court according to jurisdictions. Delhi have Currently seven District Courts namely Tis Hazari Court Complex, Karkardooma Court Complex, Patiala House Court Complex, Rohini Court Complex, Dwarka Courts Complex, Saket Court Complex, and Rouse Avenue Court Apart from
2461-464: Is topped by an octagonal chhatri supported by eight pillars and decorated with white marble in typical Mughal style. Inside, there are remnants of the decorative plaster-work and traces of stone-shelving where, presumably, the emperor's books were placed. This was also the spot where, on 24 January 1556 Humayun fell from the second floor to his death. He slipped while hastening to the evening prayers, following his hobby of astronomical star gazing at
2568-402: Is unofficial groundwater. In Delhi, daily domestic solid waste production is 8000 tonnes which is dumped at three landfill locations by MCD. The daily domestic waste water production is 470 MGD and industrial waste water is 70 MGD. A large portion of the sewage flows untreated into the Yamuna river. The city's electricity consumption is about 1,265 kWh per capita but
2675-558: The Chief Commissioner's Province of Delhi . The Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991 declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be formally known as the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The Act gave Delhi its legislative assembly along Civil lines, though with limited powers. Delhi was the primary site in the nationwide anti-Sikh pogroms of 1984, which resulted in the death of around 2,800 people in
2782-446: The 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup , the 2010 Commonwealth Games , the 2012 BRICS summit , the 2023 G20 summit , and was one of the major host cities of the 2011 and 2023 Cricket World Cups . There are a number of myths and legends associated with the origin of the name Delhi . One of them is derived from Dhillu or Dilu , a king who built a city at this location in 50 BCE and named it after himself. Another legend holds that
2889-892: The Delhi Metro . The closest metro station to most of Defence Colony is Lajpat Nagar , which is an interchange station between the Violet Line and Pink Line . For some parts of the Defence Colony, it is closer to walk to the South Extension metro station , which is on the Pink Line . To the Northeast of Defence Colony is the Sewa Nagar railway station of the Delhi Ring Railway . To the South, Defence Colony
2996-633: The Delhi Transport Corporation , the highest in India and the third highest in the world after Shenzhen and Santiago . Personal vehicles, especially cars also form a major chunk of vehicles plying on Delhi roads. As of 2007 , private vehicles account for 30% of the total demand for transport. Delhi has the highest number of registered cars compared to any other metropolitan city in India. Taxis, auto rickshaws, and cycle rickshaws also ply on Delhi roads in large numbers. As of 2008 ,
3103-578: The Jarkurgan minaret , it is more closely related to the Ghaznavid and Ghurid minarets of Central Asia Razia , daughter of Iltutmish, became the Sultana of Delhi upon the former's death. For the next three hundred years, Delhi was ruled by a succession of Turkic , Indian and an Afghan , Lodi dynasty . They built several forts and townships that are part of the seven cities of Delhi . Delhi
3210-467: The Qutb Minar and Quwwat-al-Islam (Might of Islam) mosque, the earliest extant mosque in India. It was his successor, Iltutmish (1211–1236), who consolidated the conquest of northern India. At 72.5 m (238 ft), the Qutb Minar , a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi, was completed during the reign of Sultan Illtutmish in the 13th century. Although its style has some similarities with
3317-570: The World Health Organization (WHO), Delhi was the most polluted city in the world in 2014. In 2016, WHO downgraded Delhi to eleventh-worst in the urban air quality database. However, as recently as 2022, data from the WHO and IQAir, alongside comprehensive research, ranked Delhi as the fourth most polluted city globally. According to one estimate, air pollution causes the death of about 10,500 people every year. Air quality index
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3424-496: The 15th-century Lodhi dynasty -era, near the historic area of Kotla Mubarakpur , it housed two graves inside the tomb until the early 20th-century, which are now long gone. The tomb has housed the Defence Colony Welfare Association (DCWA) office since 1960. Defence Colony is accessible by many means of public transport including auto rickshaw , taxi, Delhi Transport Corporation buses as well as
3531-647: The 1920s, had aligned the central vista, now Rajpath , with Purana Qila. During the Partition of India , in August 1947 the Purana Qila along with the neighbouring Humayun's Tomb , became the site for refuge camps for Muslims migrating to newly founded Pakistan. This included over 12,000 government employees who had opted for service in Pakistan, and between 150,000–200,000 Muslim refugees, who swarmed inside Purana Qila by September 1947, when Indian government took over
3638-488: The 1970s, the ramparts of Purana Qila were first used as a backdrop for theatre, when three productions of the National School of Drama were staged here: Tughlaq , Andha Yug and Sultan Razia , directed by Ebrahim Alkazi . In later decades it has been the venue of various important theatre productions, cultural events, and concerts. Today, it is the venue of a daily sound and light presentation after sunset, on
3745-585: The Allies later that year, Japanese civilians in India, along with those of other now-enemy nations, were joined in internment by civilians from various British colonial territories, including Malaya and Singapore. Two key civilian internment camps in India were Purana Qila, the Old Fort, in Delhi, and Deoli in the deserts of Rajasthan. The fate of the Japanese in India threw a shadow over the whole business, and
3852-597: The Archaeological Survey of India, Alexander Cunningham, mentioned that dilli later became dihli/dehli . Some suggest the coins in circulation in the region under the Tomaras were called dehliwal . According to the Bhavishya Purana , King Prithiviraja of Indraprastha built a new fort in the modern-day Purana Qila area for the convenience of all four castes in his kingdom. He ordered
3959-538: The British believed, with some justification, that the ill-treatment of Allied prisoners of war was a reprisal for this. By December 1942, there were 2,115 Japanese internees, the vast majority from Singapore, in Purana Quila camp outside Delhi. They were housed in tents that gave little protection from the cold in winter, or from temperatures that rose to 120 degrees in summer. The Japanese government protested that
4066-536: The Congress. However, that government was short-lived, collapsing only after 49 days. Delhi was then under President's rule until February 2015, after which AAP returned to power after a landslide victory, winning 67 out of the 70 seats in the Delhi Legislative Assembly . AAP holds power ever since. Delhi is the largest commercial center in northern India. As of 2016 recent estimates of
4173-560: The Delhi Metro, a suburban railway, the Delhi Suburban Railway exists. The Delhi Metro is a rapid transit system serving Delhi, Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon and Noida in the National Capital Region of India. It is the world's tenth-largest metro system by length of lines. It was India's second modern public transportation system. The network consists of 10 colour-coded lines serving 255 stations with
4280-491: The District Courts Delhi also have Consumer Courts, CBI Courts, Labour Courts, Revenue Courts, Army tribunals, electricity tribunals, Railway Tribunals, and other various tribunals situated according to appropriate jurisdictions. For policing purposes Delhi is divided into fifteen police districts which are further subdivided into 95 local police station zones. Delhi currently has 180 police stations. As
4387-565: The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (273–235 BCE) was discovered near Srinivaspuri. Remains of several major cities can be found in Delhi. The first of these was in the southern part of present-day Delhi. Tomara Rajput King Anang Pal built the Lal Kot and several temples in 1052 CE. The Chauhan Rajputs under Vigraharaja IV conquered Lal Kot in the mid-12th century and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora . Prithviraj Chauhan
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4494-747: The Mughals in the First Battle of Delhi. In 1739, the Mughal Empire lost the huge Battle of Karnal in less than three hours against the numerically outnumbered but militarily superior Persian army led by Nader Shah of Persia. After his invasion , he completely sacked and looted Delhi , carrying away immense wealth including the Peacock Throne , the Daria-i-Noor , and Koh-i-Noor . The Mughals, severely further weakened, could never overcome this crushing defeat and humiliation which also left
4601-499: The NCT of Delhi is made up of one division , 11 districts , 33 subdivisions , 59 census towns, and 300 villages. On the other way, the NCT of Delhi is divided into three municipalities. The boundaries of municipalities may be different from district boundaries: Between 13 January 2011 and 22 May 2022, MCD was divided into three municipal corporations: Delhi is home to the High Court of Delhi . The High Court of Delhi
4708-516: The NCT's population was about 16.8 million. Delhi's urban agglomeration, which includes the satellite cities Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon , Noida , Greater Noida and YEIDA city located in an area known as the National Capital Region (NCR), has an estimated population of over 28 million, making it the largest metropolitan area in India and the second-largest in the world (after Tokyo ). The topography of
4815-631: The Public Works Department (PWD) which is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Delhi while some are maintained by Delhi Development Authority and New Delhi Municipal Council which are under the jurisdiction of the Government of India . Roads and streets less than 60 ft (18 m) wide are maintained by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi . Roads and streets in unauthorised colonies are maintained by
4922-550: The Purana Qila lie in the walls of Dinpanah, the new city of Delhi was being constructed by Mughal emperor Humayun , in the general vicinity of the ancient Indraprastha ruins. Abul Fazl stated that he built the fort in the place of that of ancient Indraprastha. The founder of the Suri Dynasty , Sher Shah Suri , defeated Humayun and made changes to the fort, strengthening its fortifications and completing its walls. He also had another fort built there called Shergarh , where
5029-627: The Rajput era were built of bricks used in other structures and also mud bricks. A fortification wall about 30 metre long was also found. During the Delhi Suntanate, structures were made from re-used bricks and over the ruins of earlier structures. The Mughal era structures were characterized by a deep pit dug over those of the preceding eras. The excavations revealed three structural phases from Mughal era, including structures consisting of re-used bricks, rubble and lakhori bricks . The walls of
5136-511: The Yamuna River, Delhi continues to retain over 500 ponds (wetlands < 5 ha (12 acres)), that in turn support a considerable number of bird species. Delhi's ponds, despite experiencing ecological deterioration due to garbage dumping and concretisation, support the largest number of bird species known to be using ponds anywhere in the world. Existing policy in Delhi prevents the conversion of wetlands and, quite inadvertently, has led to
5243-565: The actual demand is higher. In Delhi power distribution is managed by TPDDL and BSES Yamuna & BSES Rajdhani since 2002, transmission of power is done by Delhi Transco Limited and Powergrid , while generation of power is by IPGCL and PPCL . The city also imports a significant quantum of power from other states. The Delhi Fire Service runs 43 fire stations that attend about 15,000 fire and rescue calls per year. The state-owned MTNL and private enterprises such as Airtel , Vi , Jio , and provide telephone and cell phone services to
5350-500: The analogy does not go much further. Whereas the Mahabharata speaks of a beautifully decorated city with surrounding fortifications, the excavations have yielded "uneven findings of painted grey pottery characteristic of the eleventh century BCE; no signs of a built environment, much fewer fortifications, have been revealed." The earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya period (c. 300 BCE); in 1966, an inscription of
5457-594: The attack, which caused a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries. There were further terrorist attacks in Delhi in 2005 and 2008 , resulting in a total of 92 deaths. In 2020, Delhi witnessed worst communal violence in decades. The riots, caused mainly by Hindu mobs attacking Muslims, 53 people were killed, two-thirds were Muslims, and the rest Hindus . Delhi is located in Northern India , at 28°37′N 77°14′E / 28.61°N 77.23°E / 28.61; 77.23 . The city
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#17328022102545564-549: The average maximum temperature during winters has declined notably since 1998 due to rising air pollution. India's Ministry of Earth Sciences published a research paper in October 2018 attributing almost 41% of PM2.5 air pollution in Delhi to vehicular emissions, 21.5% to dust/fire and 18% to industries. The director of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) alleged that the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
5671-583: The capital of the Dominion of India , and after 1950 of the Republic of India . Delhi ranks fifth among the Indian states and union territories in human development index , and has the second-highest GDP per capita in India (after Goa ). Although a union territory , the political administration of the NCT of Delhi today more closely resembles that of a state of India , with its own legislature, high court and an executive council of ministers headed by
5778-622: The city according to government figures, though independent estimates of the number of people killed tend to be higher. The riots were set off by the assassination of Indira Gandhi —the Prime Minister of India at the time—by her Sikh bodyguards. In 2001, the Parliament of India building in New Delhi was attacked by armed militants, killing six security personnel. India suspected Pakistan-based Jihadist militant groups were behind
5885-513: The city and the health risks associated with it. In 2020, annual average PM2.5 in the city stood at 107.6 μg/m , which is almost 21.5 times the WHO's PM2.5 Guideline (5 μg/m ; set in September 2021). These pollution levels are estimated to reduce the life expectancy of an average person living in Delhi by almost 10.1 years. However, as of 2015 , awareness, particularly among the foreign diplomatic community and high-income Indians,
5992-747: The city as part of the Panchayati Raj Act . The Government of India and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi jointly administer New Delhi, where both bodies are located. The Parliament of India , the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace), Cabinet Secretariat , and the Supreme Court of India are located in the municipal district of New Delhi. There are 70 assembly constituencies and seven Lok Sabha (Indian Parliament's lower house) constituencies in Delhi. The Indian National Congress (Congress) formed all
6099-437: The city migrated to Pakistan. Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 40% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly Hindi -speaking Punjabi Hindus . Migration to Delhi from the rest of India continues (as of 2013 ), contributing more to the rise of Delhi's population than the birth rate, which is declining. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 created the Union Territory of Delhi from its predecessor,
6206-430: The city's ponds becoming invaluable refugia for birds. The National Capital Territory of Delhi covers an area of 1,483 km (573 sq mi), of which 783 km (302 sq mi) is designated rural, and 700 km (270 sq mi) urban therefore making it the largest city in terms of area in the country. It has a length of 51.9 km (32 mi) and a width of 48.48 km (30 mi). Delhi
6313-462: The city, the Qutub Minar , Humayun's Tomb , and the Red Fort , belong to this period. Delhi was the early centre of Sufism and Qawwali music. The names of Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusrau are prominently associated with it. The Khariboli dialect of Delhi was part of a linguistic development that gave rise to the literature of Urdu and later Modern Standard Hindi . Major Urdu poets from Delhi include Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Ghalib . Delhi
6420-617: The city. However, according to several authors, most of these gains have been lost, especially due to stubble burning , a rise in the market share of diesel cars and a considerable decline in bus ridership. According to CSE and System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), burning of agricultural waste in nearby Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh regions results in severe intensification of smog over Delhi. Delhi has been ranked 7th best "National Clean Air City" (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' Currently,
6527-539: The city. Cellular coverage is available in GSM , 3G , 4G , 4G+ and 5G . Indira Gandhi International Airport , situated to the south-west of Delhi, is the main gateway for the city's domestic and international civilian air traffic. In 2015–16, the airport handled more than 48 million passengers, making it the busiest airport in India and South Asia. Terminal 3, which cost ₹ 96.8 billion (US$ 1.2 billion) to construct between 2007 and 2010, handles an additional 37 million passengers annually. In 2010, IGIA
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#17328022102546634-419: The city. Delhi's large consumer market and the availability of skilled labour has also attracted foreign investment. In 2001, the manufacturing sector employed 1,440,000 workers and the city had 129,000 industrial units. Delhi's municipal water supply is managed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). As of June 2005 , it supplied 650 million gallons per day (MGD), whereas the estimated consumption requirement
6741-452: The construction of a gateway to the fort and later named the fort dehali . Some historians believe that Dhilli or Dhillika is the original name for the city while others believe the name could be a corruption of the Hindustani words dehleez or dehali —both terms meaning "threshold" or "gateway"—and symbolic of the city as a gateway to the Gangetic Plain . The people of Delhi are referred to as Delhiites or Dilliwalas . The city
6848-408: The conversion of Delhi's fleet of buses and taxis to run on CNG and banned the use of leaded petrol in 1998. In 2003, Delhi won the United States Department of Energy 's first 'Clean Cities International Partner of the Year' award for its "bold efforts to curb air pollution and support alternative fuel initiatives". The Delhi Metro has also been credited for significantly reducing air pollutants in
6955-432: The courtyard had a shallow tank, with a fountain. A second storey, accessed through staircases from the prayer hall, with a narrow passage running along the rectangular hall, provided space for female courtiers to pray, while the arched doorway on the left wall, framed by ornate jharokas , was reserved for members of the royal family. On a marble slab within the mosque an inscription reads: "As long as there are people on
7062-426: The earth, may this edifice be frequented and people be happy and cheerful in it". Today it is the best preserved building in Purana Qila. The Sher Mandal named for Farid (Sher Shah) who had tried to finish what was ordered by Babur but had died during the initial phase and so construction was halted until the arrival of Humayun. This double-storeyed octagonal tower of red sandstone with steep stairs leading up to
7169-426: The economy of the Delhi urban area have ranged from $ 370 billion to $ 400 billion ( PPP metro GDP ) ranking it either the most or second-most productive metro area of India. The nominal GSDP of the NCT of Delhi for 2016–17 was estimated at ₹ 6,224 billion (US$ 75 billion), 13% higher than in 2015–16. Oxford Economics Global Cities index 2024 ranked Delhi as best city in India and 108th best city in
7276-449: The exotic varieties of cuisines offered by many restaurants. Defence Colony Welfare Association Club, commonly referred to as Defence Colony Club was established in 1976 as Defence Colony Ex. Services Institute, however, was renamed in 1980 and functions under the Defence Colony Welfare Association. Close to the main Defence Colony market inside a roundabout stands the octagonal tomb of Shaikh Ali, known as "Gumti of Shaikh Ali". Built-in
7383-458: The food and the cooking, washing and sanitation facilities were inadequate. The British dismissed this: the Japanese were `notoriously unable to cope with extremes of heat or cold'. (`Treatment of Japanese internees in India', 1z December 1942, F09,6/ 477, PRO.)`According to Asiatic standards', officials observed, the rations were `adequate for proper nourishment'.( R. N. Gilchrist to under secretary of state, Foreign Office, 19 October 1942, ibid) In
7490-420: The fort rise to a height of 18 metres, traverse about 1.5 km, and have three arched gateways: the Bara Darwaza (Big Gate) facing west, which is still in use today; the south gate, also popularly known as the 'Humayun Gate' (probably so known because it was constructed by Humayun, or perhaps because Humayun's Tomb is visible from there); and lastly, the 'Talaqi Gate', often known as the "forbidden gate". All
7597-441: The fort with that of Indraprastha, though he referred to the present structure as built by Muslim rulers. Even till the early part of the 20th century, Purana Qila was known as Pandavon Ka Qila ( Pandava's fort) and the entire complex as Indraprastha village. It must be remembered that coordinating material archaeological culture with literary and bardic literature is methodologically almost always impossible. The origins of
7704-426: The foundation of the city on a mound near Yamuna . The construction of the walls and fortifications were almost finished by Humayun's time. Tarikh-i-Da'udi states that Sher Shah Suri's royal city remained incomplete upon his death and he had named his fort Shergarh. Abbas Sarwani states the two forts being constructed by him were incomplete when he died. Tarikh-i-Khan-Jahan states that Salim Shah Suri had constructed
7811-534: The gates are double-storeyed sandstone structures flanked by two huge semi-circular bastion towers, decorated with white and coloured-marble inlays and blue tiles. They are replete with detailing, including ornate overhanging balconies, or jharokhas , and are topped by pillared pavilions ( chhatris ), all features that are reminiscent of Rajasthani architecture as seen in the North and South Gates, and which were amply repeated in future Mughal architecture . Despite
7918-507: The governments in Delhi until the 1990s, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Madan Lal Khurana , came to power. In 1998, the Congress returned to power under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit , who was subsequently re-elected for 3 consecutive terms. But in 2013 , the Congress was ousted from power by the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal forming the government with outside support from
8025-457: The governor resided. His project, however, was a continuation of Humayun's construction of a citadel for a royal city. He also built many structures inside the fort. Additions to the fort have been believed to have been made even after his rule. The extent of his contribution to the fort's construction is disputed. The historical attribution of its construction is also uncertain judging from primary sources. Muhammad Khwandamir said that Humayun laid
8132-546: The grandeurs of the exterior, few of interior structures have survived except the Qila-i Kuhna Mosque and the Shermandal, both credited to Sher Shah. The single-domed Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque , built by Sher Shah in 1541 is an excellent example of a pre-Mughal design and an early example of the extensive use of the pointed arch in the region as seen in its five doorways with the 'true' horseshoe-shaped arches. It
8239-410: The highest level of the airborne particulate matter, PM2.5 considered most harmful to health, with 153 micrograms. Rising air pollution level has significantly increased lung-related ailments (especially asthma and lung cancer) among Delhi's children and women. The dense smog and haze during winter results in major air and rail traffic disruptions every year. According to Indian meteorologists,
8346-669: The history of the "Seven Cities of Delhi", from Indraprastha through New Delhi . Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) carried out excavations at Purana Qila in 1954–55 and again from 1969 to 1973 by B. B. Lal , and in 2013-14 & 2017-18 by Vasant Kumar Swarnkar. its findings and artefacts are exhibited at the Archaeological Museum, Purana Qila. This includes Painted Grey Ware , dating 1000 BC, and various objects and pottery signifying continuous habitation from Mauryan to Shunga , Kushana , Gupta , Rajput , Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods. The homes built during
8453-668: The inner citadel of the city of Dinpanah. It is located near the expansive Pragati Maidan exhibition ground and is separated from Dhyanchand Stadium by Mathura Road, Delhi . Excavations point to traces and continued habitation from the 1000 BC, during the Painted Grey Ware period. The first two rounds of excavations – in 1954–55 and 1969–72 – by B. B. Lal , then director of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), had unearthed traces of Painted Grey Ware culture . Historian Alexander Cunningham identified
8560-509: The local Member of the Legislative Assembly . Buses are the most popular means of road transport, catering to about 60% of Delhi's total demand. Delhi has one of India's largest bus transport systems. In 1998, the Supreme Court of India ruled that all public transport vehicles in Delhi must be fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) to tackle increasing vehicular pollution. The state-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC)
8667-595: The main bus terminals for outstation buses plying to neighbouring states. Delhi's rapid rate of economic development and population growth has resulted in an increasing demand for transport, creating excessive pressure on the city's transport infrastructure. To meet the transport demand, the State and Union government constructed a mass rapid transit system, including the Delhi Metro. Delhi Bus Rapid Transit System runs between Ambedkar Nagar and Delhi Gate . As per February 2024, Delhi has around 1,650 electric buses managed by
8774-697: The management of the two camps. The Purana Qila camp remained functional until early 1948, as the trains to Pakistan waited until October 1947 to start. During the Asia-Pacific War (1941–1945), over 2000 Japanese civilians were interned in British India, of whom around 554 were women and 224 children. Plans to intern Japanese living in British India, along with surveillance of persons of interest, were put into place from as early as July 1940, with preparations to open internment camps made from at least February 1941. After war broke out between Japan and
8881-613: The medieval fort Purana Qila on the banks of the river Yamuna matches the literary description of the citadel Indraprastha in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata ; however, excavations in the area have revealed no signs of an ancient built environment. From the early 13th century until the mid-19th century, Delhi was the capital of two major empires, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire , which covered large parts of South Asia . All three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
8988-533: The metro consists of ten operational lines with a total length of 348.12 km (216.31 mi) and 254 stations , and several other lines are under construction. The Phase-I was built at a cost of US$ 2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹ 216 billion (US$ 2.6 billion). Phase-II has a total length of 128 km (80 mi) and was completed by 2010. Delhi Metro completed 10 years of operation on 25 December 2012. It carries millions of passengers every day. In addition to
9095-559: The name of the city is based on the Prakrit word dhili ( loose ) and that it was used by the Tomaras to refer to the city because the iron pillar of Delhi had a weak foundation and had to be moved. According to Panjab Notes and Queries, the name of the city at the time of King Prithviraj was dilpat , and that dilpat and dilli are probably derived from the old Hindi word dil meaning "eminence". The former director of
9202-407: The number of vehicles in the metropolitan region, Delhi NCR, was 11.2 million (11.2 million). In 2008, there were 85 cars in Delhi for every 1,000 of its residents. In 2017, the number of vehicles in Delhi city alone crossed the ten million mark with the transport department of Delhi Government putting the total number of registered vehicles at 10,567,712 until 25 May of the year. Delhi
9309-494: The president and the prime minister. Delhi has the highest road density of 2103 km/100 km in India . It is connected to other parts of India by five National Highways : NH 1 , NH 2 , NH 8 , NH 10 and NH 24 . The Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Kolkata prongs of the Golden Quadrilateral start from the city. The majority of the city's roads which are 60 ft (18 m) wide or above are maintained by
9416-463: The roof was intended to be higher than its existing height. Its original builder was Babur who ordered the construction and was used as a personal observatory and library for his son Humayun, finished only after he recaptured the fort. It is also one of the first observatories of Delhi, the earliest being in Pir Ghaib at Hindu Rao at Ridge built in the 14th century by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. The tower
9523-426: The top of this private observatory. He fell headlong down the stairs and died of his injuries two days later. Entry inside the library is now prohibited. Several other monuments are strewn around the complex, like Kairul Manzil, mosque built by Maham Anga , Akbar 's foster-mother, and which was later used as a madarsa . Sher Shah Suri Gate or Lal Darwaza , which was the southern gate to Shergarh, also lies opposite
9630-547: The total workforce in national and state governments and the quasi-government sector was 594,000, and the private sector employed 273,000. Key service industries are information technology, telecommunications, hotels, banking, media and tourism. Construction, power, health and community services and real estate are also important to the city's economy. Delhi has one of India's largest and fastest growing retail industries. Manufacturing also grew considerably as consumer goods companies established manufacturing units and headquarters in
9737-544: The way open for more invaders to come, including eventually the British . Nader eventually agreed to leave the city and India after forcing the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah I to beg him for mercy and granting him the keys of the city and the royal treasury. A treaty signed in 1752 made Marathas the protectors of the Mughal throne in Delhi. The city was sacked again in 1757 by the forces of Ahmad Shah Durrani , although it
9844-406: The west, or beyond its right bank , Delhi shares borders with the state of Uttar Pradesh in the east and with the state of Haryana in the remaining directions. Delhi became a union territory on 1 November 1956 and the NCT in 1995. The NCT covers an area of 1,484 square kilometres (573 sq mi). According to the 2011 census, Delhi's city proper population was over 11 million, while
9951-473: The whole of the Deccan under control, he moved his capital to Daulatabad, Maharashtra in central India. However, by moving away from Delhi he lost control of the north and was forced to return to Delhi to restore order. The southern provinces then broke away. In the years following the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388), the Delhi Sultanate rapidly began to lose its hold over its northern provinces. Delhi
10058-666: The world in Economics Category. As per the Economic survey of Delhi (2005–2006), the tertiary sector contributes 70.95% of Delhi's gross SDP followed by secondary and primary sectors with 25.20% and 3.85% contributions, respectively. Delhi's workforce constitutes 32.82% of the population, and increased by 52.52% between 1991 and 2001. Delhi's unemployment rate decreased from 12.57% in 1999–2000 to 4.63% in 2003. In December 2004, 636,000 people were registered with various employment exchange programmes in Delhi. In 2018
10165-594: The year is usually witnessed between 1 and 10 January, with an average low of 6.9 °C (44.4 °F) and high of 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). In early March, the wind direction changes from north-westerly to south-westerly. From April to October the weather is hot. The monsoon arrives at the end of June, along with an increase in humidity. The brief, mild winter starts in late November, peaks in January and heavy fog often occurs. Delhi receives an average annual precipitation of 774.4 mm (30.49 in). According to
10272-698: Was a major centre of Sufism during this period. The Mamluk Sultanate (Delhi) was overthrown in 1290 by Jalal ud din Firuz Khalji (1290–1320). Under the second Khalji ruler, Ala-ud-din Khalji , the Delhi sultanate extended its control south of the Narmada River in the Deccan . The Delhi sultanate reached its greatest extent during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq (1325–1351). In an attempt to bring
10379-594: Was a notable centre of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . In 1911, New Delhi , a southern region within Delhi, became the capital of the British Indian Empire . During the Partition of India in 1947, Delhi was transformed from a Mughal city to a Punjabi one, losing two-thirds of its Muslim residents, in part due to the pressure brought to bear by arriving Hindu and Sikh refugees from western Punjab. After independence in 1947, New Delhi continued as
10486-540: Was based at Safdarjung Airport which started operations in 1929, when it was the Delhi's only airport and the second in India. The airport functioned until 2001; however, in January 2002 the government closed the airport for flying activities because of security concerns following the New York attacks in September 2001 . Since then, the club only carries out aircraft maintenance courses and is used for helicopter rides to Indira Gandhi International Airport for VIP including
10593-568: Was captured and sacked by Timur in 1398, who massacred 100,000 captive civilians. Delhi's decline continued under the Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451), until the sultanate was reduced to Delhi and its hinterland. Under the Afghan Lodi dynasty (1451–1526), the sultanate recovered control of Punjab and the Gangetic plain to once again achieve domination over Northern India. However, the recovery
10700-710: Was conferred the 4th best airport award in the world in the 15–25 million category, by Airports Council International . The airport was rated as the Best airport in the world in the 25–40 million passengers category in 2015, by Airports Council International. Delhi Airport was awarded The Best Airport in Central Asia and Best Airport Staff in Central Asia at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2015. Hindon Domestic Airport in Ghaziabad
10807-528: Was defeated in 1192 by Muhammad Ghori in the second battle of Tarain . Qutb-ud-din Aibak , was given the responsibility of governing the conquered territories of India after Ghori returned to his capital, Ghor . When Ghori died without an heir in 1206 CE, Qutb-ud-din assumed control of Ghori's Indian possessions and laid the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mamluk dynasty . He began construction of
10914-468: Was designed as a Jami Mosque or Friday mosque for the Sultan and his courtiers. The prayer hall inside, the single-aisled mosque, measures 51.20m by 14.90m and has five elegant arched prayer niches or mihrabs set in its western wall. Marble in shades of red, white and slate is used for the calligraphic inscriptions on the central iwan , marks a transition from Lodhi to Mughal architecture . At one time,
11021-747: Was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the second airport for the Delhi-NCR Region on 8 March 2019. A second international airport open for commercial flights has been suggested either by expansion of Meerut Airport or construction of a new airport in Greater Noida . The Taj International Airport project in Jewar has been approved by the Uttar Pradesh government. The Delhi Flying Club , established in 1928 with two de Havilland Moth aircraft named Delhi and Roshanara ,
11128-553: Was inaugurated on 13 February 1931. New Delhi was officially declared as the capital of the Union of India after the country gained independence on 15 August 1947. It has expanded since; the small part of it that was constructed during the British period has come to be informally known as Lutyens' Delhi . During the partition of India , around five hundred thousand Hindu and Sikh refugees, mainly from West Punjab fled to Delhi, while around three hundred thousand Muslim residents of
11235-759: Was not annexed by the Afghan Empire and being its vassal state under the Mughal emperor. Then the Marathas battled and won control of Delhi from the Afghans. In 1803, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War , the forces of British East India Company defeated the Maratha forces in the Battle of Delhi . During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , Delhi fell to the forces of East India Company after
11342-516: Was noticeably increasing. Since the mid-1990s, Delhi has undertaken some measures to curb air pollution—it has the third-highest quantity of trees among Indian cities; the Delhi Transport Corporation operates the world's largest fleet of environmentally friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. In 1996, the CSE started a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court of India that ordered
11449-609: Was short-lived and the sultanate was destroyed in 1526 by Babur , founder of the Mughal dynasty . In 1526, Babur , a descendant of Genghis Khan and Timur from the Fergana Valley in modern-day Uzbekistan , invaded India and defeated the last Lodhi sultan in the First Battle of Panipat and founded the Mughal Empire that ruled from Delhi and Agra . The Mughal dynasty ruled Delhi for more than three centuries, with
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