New Delhi

New Delhi, city in northern India, capital of the country, in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, on the Yamuna River. New Delhi was built between 1912 and 1929 on a site adjacent to Delhi (or Old Delhi), which had been chosen to replace Calcutta (now Kolkata) as the capital of India in 1911; New Delhi was inaugurated as the new capital in 1931. Predominantly an administrative centre, the city also has textile mills, printing plants, and assorted light industry. Some of the traditional handicrafts for which Delhi was once famous—such as ivory-carving and gold and silver jewellery-making—still flourish.

The streets of New Delhi are laid out symmetrically, according to plans drawn by the English architect Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens. Lutyens also designed the majestic red sandstone and marble Rashtrapati Bhawan, formerly the palace of the viceroy and now the residence of the president, which is in the centre of the city, along with parliament and other important government buildings. The architecture of these buildings is mainly European, with details of indigenous Indian styles. Another building to combine Indian and Western styles is the United States Embassy designed by Edward Durell Stone. The Raj Path, a wide boulevard bordered by trees and canals, runs east from the palace to a war memorial arch (1921). The streets of the commercial centre, Connaught Place, north-east of the palace, are laid out in a radial pattern.

A number of institutions for higher education and research, as well as the National Museum, are located near the city. A prayer ground in the southern section of New Delhi was the scene of the assassination of Mohandas Gandhi in 1948. The Balmiki and Lakshminarayan temples, which he often visited, are in the city’s western sector. New Delhi is an important railway junction with three main stations. Five national highways also pass through the city. The Indira Gandhi International Airport is 23 km (14 mi) from the city centre while Palam, the domestic airport, is 15 km (9 mi) away. The public transport system in the city was greatly improved at the end of 2002, when the first section of a modern underground rail network, which is to be completed by 2005, opened to commuters. Population 301,000 (1991).