Apr 1, 2010

Delhi

Delhi or National Capital Territory of Delhi is India's capital and includes New Delhi, Old Delhi, and Delhi Cantt. Also referred to as NCR, it incorporates satellite cities of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida. Delhi has always been an attraction for travelers and tourists. It caters to various needs of tourists. From shopping to sight seeing, forts and monuments to beautiful gardens, Delhi has it all.

It also has many state of the art hotels to offer to its tourists. The economy of the state benefits from its service sector, which comprises of insurance, travel and tourism, mortgage, real estate, consultancy and educational institutes.

Delhi is popularly known as 'Heart of India.' A direct consequence of Delhi's rich history is its magnificent monuments. Delhi also offers a glimpse of India's religious diversity. It has many temples, mosques, gurudawaras and churches.


Agriculture


The principal food crops are wheat, bajra, jowar, gram and maize. However, emphasis has now shifted from food crops to vegetables and fruit crops, dairy, poultry-farming, floriculture, etc., as these are more remunerative than food crops in the territory

Industry


Delhi is not only the largest commercial centre in northern India, but also the largest centre of small industries. These are manufacturing a wide variety of items like television, tape recorders, light engineering machines and automobile parts, sports goods, bicycles and PVC goods including footwear textiles, fertilizers, medicines, hosiery, leather goods, software, etc.

Delhi's new millennium industrial policy, emphasizes setting up of high tech and sophisticated industries in electronics, telecommunications, software industries, IT enabling services, etc. The industries, which are non-polluting and encourage high value addition and depend largely on skilled manpower are being promoted. DSIDC is setting up a Training Institute for Gems and Jewellery and Assaying and Hallmarking Centre at Okhla in the building of Hi tech Vocational Centre.

For the purpose of relocating industrial units functioning in residential non-conforming areas, the Government of NCT of Delhi took possession of 1900 acres of land at village Bawana, Holambi Kalan and Holambi Khurd for developing new industrial estates. Bawana Industrial area developed by DSIDC is the largest in Asia and is spread over 1900 acres of land. At Narela 900 plots have been developed and allotted and another 600 plots are being developed. Work of construction of 378 flatted factories at Jhilmil Industrial Area for relocation of smaller units has been completed. 450 acres of land have been taken for development at the Bhorgaarh industrial estates. In addition to the above, 652 hectares of land is being acquired for development into a huge industrial area in Kanjhawala/Kerala.

Irrigation and Power

Due to fast urbanisation taking in the rural areas of Delhi, cultivable command area under irrigation is getting reduced day by day. Two schemes, namely, "Keshopur Effluent Irrigation Scheme Phase-III" and "Improvement and Extension of Effluent Irrigation System from Coronation Treatment Plant" are under execution. Irrigation of about 350 hectares with state tube-wells and 1,376 hectares from effluent water is being provided in the rural area of NCT of Delhi. In addition about 4,900 hectares of land is being irrigated from western Yamuna Canal network.

The firm availability of power for Delhi from its own generating units at Rajghat Power Houses, IP Station and Gas Turbines including Badarpur Thermal Station is of the order of 850-900 MW. The remaining power is drawn from Northern Regional Grid. Delhi has also envisaged a number of generating projects to be taken up. Pragati Combined Cycle Power Project has been established at Indraprastha Estate. A 330 MW Pragati Power Project under construction is scheduled to be commissioned soon. The test run for its first phase of 100 MW has already started. The work of newly planned 330 MW gas based power plant under Pragati-II and 1000 MW power plant planned at Bawana are going on. Existing coal based Indraprastha plant is being replaced by 1000 MW gas based plant.

To streamline the distribution of power, DVB has been privatised and Delhi is now served by the two of the best electric utilities in India, BSES and Tata Power (NDPL).

Transport


Delhi is well connected by roads, rail and air with all parts of India. It has three airports - Indira Gandhi International Airport for the international flights, Palam Airport for national air services and Safdarjung Airport for training purposes. It has three important railway stations - Delhi Junction, New Delhi Railway Station and Nizamuddin Railway Station. Delhi has three inter-state bus terminals at Kashmeri Gate, Sarai Kalen Khan and Anand Vihar.

Keeping in view the rising vehicular pollution and chaotic traffic condition in the city of Delhi, it has been decided to start Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) in Delhi. The Project is under implementation and is using the state of-the-art modern technology. The metro rail project has come in Delhi. Now three metro corridors are existing in phase-1 of Delhi Metro comprising of three corridors of total length of 65.1 Km has been completed and operational in record time with full commissioning of line from Shahdara to Rithala and Vishwa Vidyalaya to Central Secretariat. The third line from Barakambha road to Dwarka has also been approved to provide better connectivity to the commuters from NCR region.


Worship places


Ashram/Mission< 1.Ramakrishna Mission Ph. 23587110, 23583023 2.Sivanand Yoga Vedant Natraja Centre Ph. 26228083, 2680869. 3. Shri.Aurobindo Ashram Delhi Branch. Ph. 26569225/7863. Hindu 1. Ayyappa Temple (Malai Mandir) Sector 2, R.K. Puram. 2. Hanuman Mandir (Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place) 3. ISKKON international society ( Sant Nagar, Min Road, east of Kailash) 4. Lakshmi Narayan Temple (Birla Mandir Marg). 5. Aksharsham Temple (Nizamuddin - Noida road) Jain Digambar Jain Temple (Opposite Red Fort). Ph. 23270060 Jewish Judah Hyam Synagogue (2, Humayun Road) Ph. 24635500 Buddhist 1. Budha Vihara Ph.23363328. 2. Laddakh Budha Vihar Ph. 23970455. Christian 1. Catheral Chruch of the redemption. (Church Road ) Ph. 23094229 2. Saint James Church (New Kashmiri Gate). 3. Free Church (Parliament Street) Ph. 23361331 Bahai Lotus Temple (near Kalkaji)


OUTDOOR {Parks}


Talkatora Garden

Talkatora means "something like a cup".It has a bowl shaped topography of the land which gives the Talkatora Garden it's name. Located at Wellingdon Crescent , the Talkatora garden blends the old and new . Located alongside with pavilions from the time of Muhammad Shah are modern stadia which are used to host a large number of national and international sporting events.

Lodhi Gardens:

Adjoining the India International Centre is this garden built around the tombs of Sayyid and Lodhi rulers. This garden is very well planned with artificial streams. The architectural style of the tombs was later used in the construction of the Taj Mahal.


The beautiful and serene Lodhi Garden was designed over two dynasties by the Sayyids and Lodhis in the 15-16th century. The park works as a breather from the hustle and bustle of the city, especially in the early mornings and early evenings, when fitness enthusiasts come for brisk walks or to jog through the manicured gardens against a backdrop of much-graffitied medieval monuments.


During the British times, the garden was re-christened Lady Willingdon Park but the original name was reverted to after India’s independence. In 1968, the gardens were spruced up and re-landscaped by JA Stein and Garrett Eckbo.

Mughal Garden

The Mughal Garden is located in the premises of the President’s House spread over 6 hectares. This garden is not normally open to public viewing. It is only during the months of February and March when the garden is in full bloom that people are allowed inside. This garden has some exotic and rare flowering plants. Dwarf orange trees and a variety of rose plants are special attractions of the garden. The fountains add to the beauty of the place.

Shalimar Garden

A narrow road branching off west from the Delhi-Karnal road about 10-km from Delhi, just beyond Badli Sarai, leads to the village that has the Shalimar Garden, where Aurangzeb crowned himself on 31st July, 1658.


Originally, it consisted of an enclosure with a palace in the centre, called Sheesh-Mahal, now surviving in parts with patches of painting. There were also some other buildings, but they have all disappeared.
Originally, the garden was known as 'Aizzabad-Bagh'. It was perhaps built by Shah Jahan and named after his mistress Aizzu'n-Nisa Begam. Aurangzeb used it as his country-house.


It has also been recorded by European travellers Bernier and Cotrou that Sir David Ochterlony, a British resident of Delhi, used Shalimar Bagh as his summer retreat.


Zoological Garden:

Designed by the West German Zoo specialist, Hergenbeck. It is between Purana Quila and Humayun's tomb. Closed on Friday's.

Jahapanah:

Ideal place for bird lovers. It is in Chirag Delhi. has well developed forests.

Buddha Jayanti Park:

A favourite picnic spot.Commemorating the 2500 th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha.Get there from the Ridge Road, Shankar Road or Sardar Patel Marg.

Millenium Park:

Located near Sarai Kale Khan behind Humayun's tomb. Spread in around 20 acres, this park provides lusty green and peaceful environment to the people.

India Gate Lawns:

Beautiful lawns spread over a Large Area. A popular evening location.Ice cream and other snacks available from mobile vendors.