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{THE CITY BEAUTIFUL} CHANDIGARH POLICE I PRIDE & GLORY

Chandigarh:
Independent India’s “ Let this be a new town, symbolic of free-
dom of India unfettered by the traditions

first planned city of the past…an expressions of the

nation's faith in the future."

Pt Jawaharlal Nehru,
Independent India’s first
Prime Minister

Le Corbusier conceived
the master plan of
Chandigarh as
analogous to human body

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The City
Beautiful

Photos from The Times of India Archives

Picturesquely located at the foothills of Shivaliks,
Chandigarh is known as one of the best
experiments in urban planning and modern architecture. A
model for urban planners throughout the world, it is the
face of modern India, featuring
Pierre Jeanneret, Jane Drew and based on a 2010 government study.
architectural gems of the great French architect Maxwell Fry, Chandigarh is an Yet another remarkable fact about
Le Corbusier urban dwellers delight. The city has India’s best and first planned city is
had far-reaching impact, ushering in that it can proudly claim to be among
a modern idiom of architecture and the top states and union territories in
city planning all over India and has terms of per capita income in the
become a symbol of planned country, thereby enabling an unparal-

C
handigarh is fondly called ‘The City urbanism. leled quality of life for its residents.
Beautiful’, and this uber-cool modern Today, it serves as the capital of Additionally, though ‘serenity’ and
town rightly lives up to the tag. Born as Punjab and Haryana and is an ‘urbanisation’ are two
a creative manifestation of an ambitious dream enviable part of the Tricity, diametrically opposite concepts,
that Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru envisaged and comprising Chandigarh, Mohali and these seamlessly come together in
Le Corbusier deftly executed, along with several Panchkula. The city has been Chandigarh and the contradiction is
projects brought to life by architects such as reported to be the cleanest in India artfully belied in the ‘City Beautiful’,

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as it is a rare paragon of modernisa-

tion co-existing effortlessly with
nature’s preservation. Here the
trees and plants are as much a part
of the construction plans as the
buildings and the roads.
The city has a pre-historic past.
The gently sloping plains on which
modern Chandigarh exists, was in
the ancient past, a wide lake ringed
by a marsh. The fossil remains found
at the site indicate a large variety of
aquatic and amphibian life, which
was supported by that environment.
City’s modern history, too, is an
enchanting one. After the partition
in 1947, the former British
province of Punjab was split into
east Punjab in India and west
Punjab in Pakistan. The Indian
Punjab required a new capital city
to replace Lahore, which became
a part of Pakistan. That is where
the concept of Chandigarh’s

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AWARDS FOR CHANDIGARH

● 2014: Award for Best City for
Planned Habitat for Urban Poor from
the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Poverty Alleviation
● 2014: Award for Best City for
‘Cleanliness and Sanitation’ by ABP
News
● 2013: Ranked third in the list of top
three states in terms of highest per
capita income in the country
● 2010: Best city in terms of quality
sanitation under the National Rating
and Award Scheme for Sanitation for
Indian Cities by Ministry of Urban
Development, Government of India
● 2006: Greenest city of the country
with 35.5 per cent of its total 114 sq
km area being under forest cover

origin took roots. The land chosen for the new
capital lay in the foothills of the Shivalik Range,
erosion of which had been filling the Punjab
plains over millions of years. The area was part
of the large and prosperous Punjab Province,
which was divided into East and West Punjab
during Partition of the country in 1947.
On November 1, 1966, the newly formed state
of Haryana was carved out of the eastern
portion of Punjab. The city of Chandigarh was
on the border, and was thus created into a
Union Territory to serve as capital of both these
states. In addition to several enchanting gardens
and modern structures, Chandigarh also has the
largest of Le Corbusier’s many Open Hand
sculptures, standing at 26 metres high. The
Open Hand (La Main Ouverte) is a recurring
motif in Le Corbusier's architecture, a sign for
him of ‘peace and reconciliation. It is open to
give and open to receive.’ It represents the give
and take of ideas.

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Named after
Chandi Mata
The City Beautiful derives its name from an ancient temple
‘Chandi Mandir’ located in the vicinity. The deity ‘Chandi’,
the Goddess of power and a fort, or ‘garh’, lying beyond
the temple gave the city its name, Chandigarh.

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Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, laid down the
founding principles of Chandigarh and it was the famous French
architect Le Corbusier, who converted Nehru’s dream into reality

Architectural
marvel ◗◗ MAN BEHIND THE MARVEL
Pt Jawaharlal Nehru laying the foundation stone of Chandigarh Secretariat in
the year 1953

I
n March, 1948, the government of
Punjab, in consultation with the
government of India, approved the
area on the foothills of the Shivaliks as
the site for the new capital. The location
of the city site was a part of the erst-
while Ambala district as per the 1892-93
gazetteer of Ambala district. The foun-
dation stone of the city was laid in 1952.
At the time of reorganisation of Punjab A manhole cover bearing an
impression of the master plan
on November 1, 1966 into Punjab, of Chandigarh
Haryana and Himachal Pardesh, the
city assumed the unique distinction of
being the capital city of both Punjab
and Haryana, while it itself was declared
as a union territory and under the direct
control of the central government.

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LE CORBUSIER'S MAGIC
It was the famous French architect Le
Corbusier, who converted Jawaharlal
Nehru's dream into reality. The
creative excellence, holistic
approach to design, meticulous and
painstaking detailing has helped MAXWELL FRY JANE B DREW PIERRE JEANNERET MN SHARMA
produce excellent town planning,
urban design, landscaping and archi-
Le Corbusier tecture. Le Corbusier was assisted by
three senior architects, Maxwell Fry,
his wife Jane B Drew and Corbusier's
cousin, Pierre Jeanneret. These senior
architects were supported by a team
of young Indian architects and
planners.

AR PRABHAWALKAR UE CHOWDHARY ADITYA PRAKASH SD SHARMA

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FABULOUS FOUR
The concept of the city is based
on four major functions: living,
working, care of the body and
spirit and circulation. Residential
sectors constitute the living part
whereas, the Capitol Complex,
City Centre, Educational Zone
(PGI, Punjab Engineering
College, Punjab University) and
the Industrial Area constitute the
working part. The Leisure Valley,
gardens, sector greens and open
courtyards, etc are for the care of
body and spirit.

SECTORAL SEPARATION
PERFECT PLAN The city is composed of sectors. Each sec-
tor is 800 meters x 1200 meters enclosed
Le Corbusier conceived the master plan of Chandigarh as analogous by roads allocated to fast mechanised
to human body, with a clearly defined head (the Capitol Complex, transport and sealed to direct access from
Sector 1), heart (the City Centre, Sector 17), lungs (the Leisure the houses. Each sector caters for the
Valley, innumerable open spaces and sector greens), the intellect daily needs of its inhabitants, which vary
(the cultural and educational institutions), the circulatory system from 5,000 to 25,000 and has a longitudi-
(the network of roads, the seven Vs) and the viscera (Industrial nally oriented green strip which stretches
Area). centrally along the sectors.

THE SEVEN VS
Le Corbusier's traffic system
followed the Les Sept Voies
de Circulation, or Seven Vs.
The 7Vs establishes a hier-
archy of traffic circulation
ranging from: arterial roads
(V1), major boulevards (V2)
sector definers (V3), shop-
ping streets (V4), neigh-
bourhood streets (V5),
access lanes (V6) and
pedestrian paths and cycle CAPITOL COMPLEX
tracks (V7s and V8s). The The architectural grandeur of the planned city of Chandigarh
essence of his plan for reflects in the Capitol Complex in its zenith. It is the seat of the
Chandigarh rests on pre- government of the states of Punjab and Haryana. It comprises
serving intact the true func- three epoch-making master-pieces: the Secretariat, the High
tions of these seven types Court and the Legislative Assembly. These imposing structures
of roads. are a much frequented tourist destination in the city.

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THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

THE HIGH COURT The profile of this law-forming monument
The law-interpreting monument was built epitomises stately grandeur. Square in plan, with a
in the Capitol Complex during 1951-57. This monumental portico standing free from the main build-
structure has a double roof, projecting over ing, it faces the High Court. A pyramid covers the upper
the office block like a parasol or an inverted chamber of the erstwhile bicameral system lending
umbrella. The magnificent outward sweep artistic grace to the entire complex.
of the upper roof is symbolic of protection
and justice to the people. The three vertical
piers, rising 60 feet from the floor and
painted in bright colours form the grand
entrance to the building.

THE SECRETARIAT ROCKING GLORY!

The law-executing monument is the
largest and tallest of the three edifices in
the Capitol Complex. Built during 1953-
59, it is shaped like an eight-storeyed
concrete slab, with its distinctive brise-
soleil-louvered screen of deeply sculp-
tured two-storey porticos in the centre,
housing the offices of ministers. The cafe-
teria resting atop the terrace is like an art
object, giving a spectacular view of the
city.
This wonderful artwork is
the innovative creation of
Nek Chand, a former road
inspector. It consists of art
objects fashioned from
industrial and urban waste.
It displays various sculp-
tures made of rocks, broken chinaware, broken and cast away
glass bangles, building waste and clay, creating a dream
world of palaces, soldiers, monkeys, village life, women and
temples.

SHOPPER’S PARADISE ‘OPEN TO GIVE-OPEN

One of the most important
places to visit in Chandigarh
is Sector 17, Chandigarh's
sleek shopping area and the
city centre. Planned around
four pedestrian concourses
meeting at a central chowk
(intersection), Sector 17 of
Chandigarh is a pedestrian's paradise dotted with fountains, sculptures,
and groves of trees. In summers the tourists move from one end of the
sector to the other, under the shade of a corridor, and in winter it is
nice to be out in the sun-drenched piazzas. Neighbouring Sector 22
was the first sector to be built on the concept of a neighbourhood unit
envisioned by Le Corbusier.
TO RECEIVE’
One of the most significant
monuments planned by Le
Corbusier in Chandigarh is the
Open Hand in the Capitol
Complex of the city in Sector 1.
The monument is made up of
metal and is 26 metres high
from the ground. The hand part
of the emblem is rotatable and
it moves freely with wind. It is
the first and the only city
emblem in India. It symbolises-
’Open to give-Open to receive’.

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