New Delhi
New Delhi is the national capital of India, situated in the north-central part of the country within the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Planned after the 1911 decision to move British India’s capital from Calcutta, it was laid out as an administrative city by British architects including Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker and officially opened in 1931. It remains the seat of India’s central government, but is distinct from the larger territory and urban region commonly called Delhi.
Location and the meaning of the name
New Delhi lies in north-central India, on the west bank of the Yamuna River and just south of Old Delhi. It is within the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. In formal usage, New Delhi refers to the capital area and is also the name of a district and a municipal jurisdiction; Delhi may refer to the wider NCT or, in everyday speech, the larger urban area. The overlapping usage can obscure the difference between the national capital and the broader metropolis.
A planned imperial capital
At the Delhi Durbar in 1911, the British government announced that the capital of British India would move from Calcutta (now Kolkata) to Delhi. A planning committee considered sites near the existing city and selected the area around Raisina Hill. Work on the new administrative centre began in the following years. Architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker shaped its government complex and civic plan, including the Viceroy’s residence, secretariat buildings, ceremonial spaces and public gardens. The new capital was officially opened in 1931. Its creation was part of colonial rule, but the government buildings and civic spaces were later adapted for independent India.
Urban form and landmarks
The planned core was organized around broad avenues, green spaces and a strong ceremonial axis. The central vista connects the government precinct on Raisina Hill with India Gate; the avenue is now called Kartavya Path. Connaught Place was conceived as a commercial centre, complementing the administrative district. The ensemble includes Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament and the Secretariat, as well as museums, gardens and memorials. Its design reflects both the formal planning of the British architects and Indian architectural features and materials incorporated into the central buildings.
Capital and civic administration
After independence in 1947, New Delhi continued as the capital of India and the seat of the Union government. Important national institutions—including Parliament, Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Supreme Court—are located there, and the central district is a focal point for national ceremonies and diplomacy. New Delhi is not governed as a separate state: it lies within the NCT of Delhi, while the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) administers civic affairs in its municipal area. The city’s role therefore involves several layers of administration as well as its symbolic and practical function as the national capital.
Key facts
- Status
- National capital of India and seat of the central government.
- Location
- North-central India, within the National Capital Territory of Delhi, south of Old Delhi and on the west bank of the Yamuna River.
- Planned capital
- Selected after the 1911 decision to transfer the capital from Calcutta; the new city was officially opened in 1931.
- Planning and architecture
- The central administrative plan was shaped by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, with a major ceremonial axis and landscaped public spaces.
- Civic administration
- The New Delhi Municipal Council administers municipal services in its area within the larger NCT of Delhi.
Timeline
12 December 1911
The decision to move the capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi was publicly announced at the Delhi Durbar.
1912
Planning work for the new capital began, including the selection and development of a site near Raisina Hill.
1927
The municipal committee resolved to adopt the name New Delhi and was designated the New Delhi Municipal Committee.
1931
The new capital was officially opened after two decades of planning and construction.
1947
Following Indian independence, New Delhi continued as the seat of the national government.
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References
- 1.New Delhi History, Population, Map, & Facts
Encyclopaedia Britannica · encyclopedia · reliability: high · retrieved 12 October 2026
Supports: New Delhi’s location, foundation, planned layout, capital status and principal features.
- 2.What Is the Difference Between Delhi and New Delhi?
Encyclopaedia Britannica · encyclopedia · reliability: high · retrieved 12 October 2026
Supports: The distinction between New Delhi and the National Capital Territory, and the capital area’s administrative role and institutions.
- 3.History District New Delhi, Government of NCT of Delhi
District Administration, Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi · other · reliability: high · retrieved 12 October 2026
Supports: The planned city’s urban pattern, relationship between Connaught Place, the government complex and India Gate, and the Central Vista axis.
- 4.History New Delhi Municipal Council
New Delhi Municipal Council · other · reliability: high · retrieved 12 October 2026
Supports: The 1911 capital-transfer decision, selection of Raisina Hill, involvement of Lutyens and Baker, adoption of the New Delhi name, 1931 opening and municipal history.
- 5.Evolution of the Central Vista
Central Vista project portal, Government of India · other · reliability: high · retrieved 12 October 2026
Supports: The Central Vista’s role in the planned administrative capital, its buildings and design, and its continued use for national government after independence.
- 6.Delhi History, Population, Map, & Facts
Encyclopaedia Britannica · encyclopedia · reliability: high · retrieved 12 October 2026
Supports: The geography and city layout of Delhi, including New Delhi’s central ceremonial avenue and its renaming as Kartavya Path.
References are suggested by the research engine and may be incomplete. Unverified URLs are omitted rather than guessed.
Article history
- Version 212 October 2026 · EditorUpdated by Zapia
- Version 112 October 2026 · EditorCreated by Zapia