TOWN PLANNING:

DELHI

JASKARAN SINGH
Delhi is located at 28.61°N 77.23°E, and lies in Northern India. It borders the Indian states
of Haryana on the north, west and south and Uttar Pradesh (UP) to the east.

Two prominent
features of the
geography of Delhi
are the Yamuna
flood plains and the
Delhi ridge.
The National Capital
Territory of Delhi
covers an area of
1,484 km2
 STATUS OF URBANIZATION IN THE CAPITAL CITY
OF DELHI

Urbanization has increased rapidly in Delhi since 1911 when Delhi became
the capital of the country. 57.5 % of Population was urbanised in 1911.

Population Growth of Delhi

• The pace was accelerated during 1941-51
Census Pop. %±
when the country was partitioned and 1901 405,819 —
refugees started coming and settling in Delhi. 1911 413,851 2.0%
•With rapid urbanization, the urban area in 1921 488,452 18.0%
Delhi territory has increased from 22% in 1931 636,246 30.3%
1961 to 62.5% of the total area in 2001. 1941 917,939 44.3%
•In 2001, about 702 sqkm of area was 1951 1,744,072 90.0%
estimated to have been built up, 1961 2,658,612 52.4%
1971 4,065,698 52.9%
accommodating about 13.8 million
1981 6,220,406 53.0%
population. 1991 9,420,644 51.4%
•In 2011,total population of Delhi was 2001 13,782,976 46.3%
16.75 2011 16,753,235 21.6%
million with 97.5 % urban population.
•In 2021, about 978 sqkm of total † Huge population rise in 1951 due to large
urbanisable area will be available for scale migration after Partition of India in
1947.
accommodating 23 million population in
Delhi.
 Master Plans for Delhi Third Master Plan of Delhi, projected
population of 23 million by the year
The First Master Plan for
Delhi,1961- 81, was 2021 on about 978sqkm of total
published by DDA in 1962, urbanisable area.
envisaged development of
urbanisable area of 448sqkm
by 1981, catering to an urban
population of 4.6 million.

To accomodate
the 12.2 million
urban
population by
the year 2001,
the Second
Master Plan
envisaged
expanding the
urbanisable
area of delhi to
688 sqkm.
 Delhi~ down the line …
HIGHIGHTING IMPORTANT CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS

1638-48: Shahjahanabad – Shahjahan as Emperor.

Red Fort, Jama Masjid built.
1803: British East India Company Invasion.
1911-31: Sir Edwin Lutyens designs New Delhi
1912: Capital shifted from Kolkata to New
Delhi. 1931: New Delhi Capital inaugurated
and Delhi
Improvement Trust constituted.
1947: Independence and partition of the
country.
Immigration of half million population to
Delhi.
1948: Rehabilitation townships planned.
1957: DDA constituted.
The Town Planning Concept
Shahjahanabad
 DELHI – THE MUGHAL
CAPITAL
Delhi is a city that has seen both glory and destruction in its long. It has been
plundered, ruined time and again only to spring from its ashes to become the
capital of powerful dynasties.
Fortunately, the resilient and
enduring culture and heritage has
withstood the test of time and the
city continues to live.

The heart of Delhi can be found in

Old Delhi, 350 yrs old. Its many-
branched arteries are narrow with
age and congested.

No city reflects the endless drama of

change better.
 Introduction -
SHAHJAHANABAD
By the time the emperor Shah Jahan
(1928-58) came to the throne,
the Mughal empire had ruled
continuously over northern India
for almost a century and the
artistic tradition of Mughals had
reached a stage of maturity and
refinement. During Shah Jahan’s
rein the architectural development
was remarkable due to his interest
and patronage of architecture. His
buildings were characterized by
sensitivity and delicateness.
 Backgroun
d
 The Mughal period from Akbar ( 1566-
1605) to Shah Jahan was comparatively long
and peaceful; it was marked by the
development of cities. Shah Jahan established
residences in Lahore, Agra and Delhi. In
1638, he laid the foundations of new capital,
centered around Lal Qila or Red Fort.
 The site for the new capital in Delhi was
ideally suited as a convergence point of land
routes, being centrally located
geographically. The site was situated on the
western bank of river Yamuna where a
natural projection formed a triangle with the
land and the river.
 Spatial Structure
 Urban spatial structure of Shahjahanabad was different from that of the other
Mughal Capitals, because it was planned and built by one concentrated planning
effort.
 The shurafa usually were situated to the west of the palace, along one of the two
boulevards at Chandni Chowk, & originated from the emperor’s palace, thus
furnishing the city with an unequivocal structure.
 Those professional groups delivering fresh agrarian products to the city must have
settled along the southern and south-south-western rim of the city walls (Delhi
gate & Turkman gate): this is where institutions , such as Masjid gadarion
(shephered’s mosque), Masjid kasai (butcher’s mosque) were located. They all
represent “low ranking traders”.
 The closer to the core of the city the more socially recognized are the professional
settled there: weavers, producers of wool, traders of saddle- horses, oil- extractors
& manufacturers of straw goods, each of them represented by their respective
mosques.
 Further, in the direction of Chandni Chowk, mostly representative of the trading
professions, e.g. traders of fabrics, fish, meats and luxury goods, but also some of
the professional groups processing goods, e.g. producers of water pipes can be
found, all of them are characterized by the spatial proximity to the imperial house.
Planning of
Shahjahanabad
 The city was planned according to
hindu planning principles of
shilpashastra from vastushastra.
 The site was placed on a high land as in
the shastra and was kamukha or bow
shaped, for this ensured its prosperity.
 The arm of the archer was Chandni
Chowk.
 The string was Yamuna river.
 The junction of the two main axes is the
most auspicious point in the whole
region and was therefore the red fort.
 The city form- morphology
• elements
The urban infrastructure was laid out in a geometric pattern.
• Shows traces of both Persian and Hindu traditions of town planning
and architecture with the Persian influence largely accounting for the
formalism and symmetry of the palaces gardens and boulevards.

 The designed infrastructure of Shahjahanabad comprised-

• The fort
• The Friday mosque(jama masjid).
• The other major mosques
• The bazaars around the Friday mosque.
• The elaborate system of water channels.
• The major gardens and the city wall.
• The arrangement of these planned elements was influenced by certain
site features, which precluded absolute geometry.
 The Fort & The
Mosque
 The Red Fort and Jama Masjid were
thorough fares that framed the city.
 From Lahore Gate ran a broad
avenue with a covered arcade
designed and paid for by Jahan
Ara- that housed over 1500 shops.
Today known as Chatta Bazaar.
 The remainder of Shahjahanabad
took shape within the city walls
with its havelis mansions, mosques,
temples, Sikh shrines and the
gardens of the nobility.
 The Red Fort (Palace
Complex)
 The plan of the fort was made by Shah Jahan and two Muslim architects. The
foundation stone of the fortified place was laid in 1638. Construction work began in
1639 and was complete in just nine year. The palace complex, located along the
western river front was built as an ideal residence for the emperor, it was conceived
and designed as a paradise on Earth. The layout of the fort was drawn on a formal
geometrical plan actually an irregular octagon with two long sides on east and west.
It had two gates, that on the west was called the Lahori Darwaza, while that on the
south was the Delhi Darwaza. Bearing on the cardinal points, the elements of the fort
were arranged in the geometrical pattern that reflected the life and customs of
Mughal court.
 Jami
Masjid
 The Jami Masjid was the principal mosque of the
capital, the congregational centre and one of the
most important institutions for the Muslims in
Shahjahanabad. Shah Jahan commenced
building the mosque in 1650, and completed it
6years later. It was located at the central part of
the city and on a raised foundation at the top of
a hill 9mts above the street level.
 The mosque dominated the walled city as a
visual as well as a spiritual symbol of supreme
god. Its architectural design followed by
traditional style, but improvements were made
here as well. Te courtyard was large and was
enclosed by pillared corridors. Its layouts,
having a main entrance on the east, was
geometric and the whole mosque faced west
towards Mecca. Muslim urban life was closely
evolved around the Jami Masjid.
 Major
Streets
 The streets in Mughal capital were usually narrow and
crooked. However, the major streets in the new capital were
designed as wide and straight.
 The east-west street called Chandni Chowk connected the
Lahori Darwaza of the fort to the Lahori Darwaza of the city
wall. It ran in a straight line forming a wide boulevard with
broad vista. The Fort was visible from any place on the street.
This perspective view marked a new concept of town
planning for the Mughal capital. Chandni Chowk is 1.4km
in length and jogged right at the Fatehpuri Begum Mosque.
It was built as the central axis of the city.
 Another main street the Faiz Bazaar or Akkarabadi Bazaar,
was also wide and straight. It had a north-south axis and
connected Delhi gate of the fort with the city walls Delhi
gate and is about 1km in length. These major two streets
developed as processional routes, as well as commercial
arteries. The streets also assumed importance for ritual
events.
 Five Main
Streets
 The basic network of the five main streets extended from Chandni Chowk and Faiz
Bazaar to other gates and to different part of the walled city. The streets were built as
the spines of major activities and developed as commercial thorough affairs. They
connected the Ajmeri Darwaza with the Jami Masjid and Turkman and Lahori
Darwazas. Their intersections formed a landmark. Important buildings were located
on these arteries. The other streets were less significant and were mainly built as
access
roads to the residential areas.
MAHALLA / KATRA
 There was a tendency of the cities' population to settle by ethnic affiliations and to live
in the same neighborhoods. The urban community and the Mughal capital was
formed by such districts or wards, known as mahallas and katras. There were 36
mahallas in the walled city. Each katra had an enclosed space created between
residential and commercial buildings having entry to a katra made through a gate.
 These courtyards were environmentally sound and acted as main ventilation shafts in
a hot and arid climate. Communal open space was conspicuously absent as it is so
today. There was not much need felt for communal open space, other than for
worship which is why the Jami Masjid was provided with a spacious courtyard.
 Thus, it is clear that planning of a residential area in the Mughal capital did
not
provide for social units.
Streetscapes
 There emerges a hierarchy of streets
in the layout of the city.
 The secondary streets were the ones
which entered the south of the city
from Chandni Chowk. (thus they
were perpendicular for some
distance and then assumed an
organic form once deep in the city).
 The secondary street structure also
includes the streets that are parallel
to the city walls- forming a
concentric ring so to say, in the
southern part of the city. They then
intermingle at chowks with the
third layering of streets, which
derive their character from the fact
that they are perpendicular to the
main mosque, Jama Masjid.
 Bag
h north
 The area of Chandni Chowk was occupied by a bagh called the
Jahanara Begumi’s Garden. It was laid out in a planned fashion, in addition
to the road planning of Chandni Chowk.

CITY WALLS
 The layout o the city walls was based on a geometrical planning; i.e. to say, a
polygonal plan with gateways. The four main gates were Delhi Darwaza on south,
the Ajmeri Darwaza on the south-west, the Lahori Darwaza on the west and the
Kashmiri Darwaza on the north. These important gates were positioned according to
the basic network of the city, being laced on the cardinal points. The graphic
representation of the city was indicated geometric planning and the geometric
placement of the main gates.
 Conclusion
 The new Mughal capital and the fort were designed as an ideal city and a paradise on
Earth.
 The design and planning methods were geometric and provided for green
areas
(gardens) and water facilities.
 Principal elements in the town planning were the fort, the Jami Masjid, two major
streets, city wall and gates, the Bagh, the Id-gah and the Karawan Sarai.
 The Red fort was designed as a symbol of Muslim power and as an ideal living space on
a formal geometrical plan.
 The Jami Masjid was designed as a symbol of Muslim power and of the capital.
 Two major streets were developed as the central axis and as processional routes and
they were new elements in the capital; the design and the planning method was a new
concept in town planning in the Mughal capital.
 Planning in the capital did not provide planning of residential areas.
 The city wall and gateways were drawn on a geometrical plan.
 Urban forms and patterns developed on there own in response to the emperor’s basic
need and idea and little attention was paid to the social planning.
 FATE OF THE WALLED CITY

 Old Delhi, the Medieval capital built by Shahjahan in 1638

remained one of the most beautiful cities in the Orient till
the arrival of the British in 1803.
 The British and the natives lived in the Walled City in
harmony until the War of 1857 after which one-third of
the city was razed to ground.
 The city came to be seen as a Useless maze; unhealthy
and congested.
 The transfer of Capital from Calcutta to Delhi in
1912 furthered the devaluation of the Walled City.
LUTYEN’S DELHI
(1914)
 Lutyen’s Delhi
In order to understand the imagability of Lutyens Delhi, it is imperative to know its history and why the
site was chosen.
History:
The primary concern for the transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi was to locate a more durable and
subtle public opinion: the intention was to express the achievements possible under the British Raj
and as a stamp of the autocratic rule.
Criteria for Site Selection:
The committee which was setup to choose a site recommended that if the imperial capital is to be
favorably situated to present an effective appearance, it should be approached along a line of rising
ground. Lord Harding chose the Raisina Hill for locating the viceroy’s palace because:
 It was a well drained.
 Constituted of slopes and plains between the ridge and the river.
 Its eastern and southern margins were studded with monuments of vanished empires.
 A broad crescent from Shahjahanabad and Kotla Firoz Shah, south to Tughlaqabad and the Qutub
with tombs of Safdarjung and Lodhis as well as Jantar Mantar in the foreground could be viewed
from the site.
 Site
location:
 Shahjahanabad was towards the north.
 On the west of the site, the natural limit was the ridge.
 The river formed the eastern limit.
 On south a line drawn from a point on the ridge, west of
Talkatora to Safdarjung tomb and then due east to the
river marks the southern limit. The tract between the line
and the Qutub is designated for further expansion.
Image source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi
 1911 – Foundation stone for New
Delhi at Delhi Darbar
On December 15, 1911, King George V and Queen Mary laid the
foundation stone for New Delhi, at a Darbar under a purposely built Shah
Jahani dome. The message was clear: the British were the legitimate
successors of the Mughals and their new capital was intended to express the
power of the Raj, just as Shah Jahan’s capital had expressed the authority of
the Mughals.

Image Source:
http://www.iicdelhi.nic.in/publications/uploads_diary_files/491816November112011_IIC%20Occasional%20Publication%2032

Image Source:
http://www.wmf.org/sites/default/files/wmf_article/pg_38-
The initial
design of
New Delhi
Lutyens had initially designed
Delhi with all the streets
crossing at right angles, much like
in New York.
However, Lord Hardinge told him
of the dust storms that sweep the
landscape in these parts, insisting
on roundabouts, hedges and trees
to break their force, giving him the
plans of Rome, Paris and
Washington to study and apply to
Delhi.
Image source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi
Intentions of the
Lutyens’ Delhi was planned on the most spacious garden
Layout:
city lines with the great avenues decorated with
classical buildings with lush landscape.
The layout of Lutyens Delhi was governed by three
major visual corridors, linking the government complex
with :

• Jama Masjid
• Indraprastha
• Safdarjungs Tomb
Image 1

Image 2

Image Source (Image 1 and Image 2):

 Features
1. The plan reflects Lutyens’ “transcendent fervour for geometric
symmetry,” which is expressed through amazing sequences of triangles
and hexagons, through sightlines and axes.

2. Lutyens’ plan is also

remarkable for the generous
green spaces, lawns,
watercourses, flower and fruit-
bearing trees, and their
integration with the parks
developed around monuments.

3. The attempt was to include

all
natural and historical
wonders in the new city.

Image Source: http://www.srmuniv.ac.in/downloads/townplaning.pdf

 The Road Network
 Besides the major Pathway,
there were extremely wide
avenues. The original design
of the road network was
capable of accommodating
6000 vehicles, however
these avenues, had the
potential of increasing their
carriageway-the reason
why the road layout has
survived till today.

 In general the road

network consisted of
diagonals and radials, at
30 degree/ 60 degree
angles to the main axis,
forming triangles and
hexagons.
Image source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi
Lutyens’ Delhi - Zoning
GOVERNME
NT
COMPLEX
BUNGLOW
ZONE
COMMERCI
AL
DISTRICT
 GOVERNMENT COMPLEX

Image source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi

Image source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi
Image source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi
 The Government Complex/ Administrative area
1. Lutyens laid out the central administrative area of the city.
2. At the heart of the city was the impressive Rashtrapati Bhawan, located on
the top of Raisina Hill. The Rajpath connects India Gate to Rashtrapati
Bhawan, while Janpath, which crosses it at a right angle, connects South
end with Connaught Place.
3. The Secretariat Building, which houses various ministries of the
Government of India including Prime Minister's Office are beside
the Rashtrapati Bhawan and were designed by Herbert Baker.
4. Also designed by Baker was the Parliament House, located on the
Sansad
Marg, running parallel with the Rajpath.

Image Source: http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi

 The Rashtrapati Bhawan
Lutyen's grandiose Government House (Rashtrapati Bhawan) - located on
Raisina Hill, and one of New Delhi's major thoroughfares, Rajpath, connects it to
the Purana Qila

Lord Hardinge chose the Raisina Hill for

locating the viceroy’s palace because:
• It was a well drained.
• Constituted of slopes and plains
between the ridge and the river.
• Its eastern and southern margins
were studded with Image 1
monuments of vanished
empires. A broad crescent from
Shahjahanabad and Kotla Firoz
Shah, south to Tughlaqabad and
the Qutub with tombs of
Safdarjung and Lodhis as well
as Jantar Mantar in the
foreground could be viewed from
the site. Image 2
Image 2
Image Source (Image 1 and Image 2): http://www.indiansecretsrevealed.com/rashtrapati-bhavan-trip/
Image Source: http://www.indiansecretsrevealed.com/rashtrapati-bhavan-trip/
 The Secretariat
 The Secretariat Building was designed by
architect Herbert Baker in Indo-Sarcenic
Revival architecture.
 Much of the building is in classical
architectural style, yet it
incorporated Mughal and Rajasthani
architecture style and motifs in its
architecture.
Image 1
 These are visible in the use of Jali.
 Another featu re o f
structure kno • T
wn ausstehdeinChSaetcrrie.tariat
hthee issbyt ulieldoto
unique infgRaisina
arischatideHill.
octmInure
Building
front of the main gates on
-l
i
k e
e buildings are the four
"dominion columns",
given by Canada, Australia,
New Zealand and South
Africa. Image 2
Image 3
Image Source (Image 1 and Image 2): http://www.indiansecretsrevealed.com/secratariat-building-trip/
Image Source (Image 3): http://www.postcolonialweb.org/india/art/architecture/colonial/seccomplex/column1.html
Image Source (Image 3): http://www.postcolonialweb.org/india/art/architecture/colonial/seccomplex/column1.html
 The Parliament House
 The Parliament Hous was designed
by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker.

 It was built with indigenous materials

and by Indian labour and the
architecture of the building bears a close
imprint of the Indian tradition.

 The layout of fountains both inside and

outside the building, the use of Indian
symbols, the "Chhajjas” and the varied
forms of "Jali" in marble are reminders of
the story of the craftsmanship displayed in
ancient monuments and memorials.
COMMON
FEATURE
THICK BAND
S
http://www.hindustantimes.com/The-Budget-s-journey-through-
JALIS Parliament/Article1-1056413.aspx

BUDDHIST DOME
THICK BAND

JALIS

http://monuments-in-india.blogspot.in/2009/12/rashtrapati-

bhavan.html

BUDDHIST
DOME
THICK
BAND
JALI
S
http://www.indiansecretsrevealed.com/secratariat-building-
 Drawbacks
• In this whole process almost no
attention was paid to the problems
of Old Delhi. Due to the creation
of New Delhi, Old Delhi
experienced a 28% surge in
population from 1916-1926
resulting in the spilling over of
the population from inside the
walled city to the Paharganj
area, whose restructuring was later
abandoned by Lutyens due to
resource constraints.
• Also, no provision of housing was
premeditated for the large no. of
skilled and unskilled workers
which immigrated in for the
construction work of New Delhi.
• This negligence of the planners
towards Old Delhi resulted in its
transformation to a large slum
a r e a t hrough deterioration and
Image S o ur ce :
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_Lutyens'_p
rojectedd_ilImappeirdiaal_tDioelnhi,._from_the_Encyclopedia
The sprawl of rehabilitation townships

 The partitioning of India brought its own problems.

 Delhi witnessed one of the largest immigration in
human history. Approximately half a million sought
refuge in Delhi; which was not prepared for doubling
of its population in just 2months.
 A total of 36 rehabilitation townships were planned
and developed on all 4sides of Delhi.
 These included Nizamuddin, Lajpat Nagar, Malviya
Nagar, Patel Nagar, etc.
 The sprawl of rehabilitation townships

 These townships were planned on the basis of 80

sq.yards (66msq) plots for each family; modest
single story asbestos cement sheet roofed houses.
 These houses were offered at a subsidized price of
Rs.2000 to 10,000 with facilities of long term payments.
 These were emergency projects with no time available
for immaculate planning.
 A national emergency was met with immediate action.
 Delhi started expanding in all directions without any
overall plan; the congestion continued and the city
grew haphazardly.
TOWNSHIPS
 The partitioning of India brought its own problems.
 Delhi witnessed one of the largest immigration in
human history. Approximately half a million sought
refuge in Delhi; which was not prepared for doubling
of its population in just 2months.
 A total of 36 rehabilitation townships were planned
and developed on all 4sides of Delhi.
 These included Nizamuddin, Lajpat Nagar, Malviya
Nagar, Patel Nagar, etc.
 THE SPRAWL OF URBAN
TOWNSHIPS
 These townships were planned on the basis of 80
sq.yards (66msq) plots for each family; modest
single story asbestos cement sheet roofed houses.
 These houses were offered at a subsidized price of
Rs.2000 to 10,000 with facilities of long term payments.
 These were emergency projects with no time available
for immaculate planning.
 A national emergency was met with immediate action.
 Delhi started expanding in all directions without any
overall plan; the congestion continued and the city
grew haphazardly.
THE SPRAWL OF URBAN
TOWNSHIPS
 The Delhi Improvement Trust Committee suggested
setting up of a single planning and controlling
authority for the development of Delhi.
 It also suggested developing of the city under the
frame of a Master Plan.
 Hence the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was
set up by the Government in 1955; its objective
being “to promote and secure the development of
Delhi according to plan.”
DELHI TODAY
 A fundamental premise of the Master Plan had
been based on the western concept of ‘zoning’. It
implied segregation of land uses, physical
uniformity and segregation of residential
components from undesirable land uses.
 The Old city was predominantly marked for
residential use.
DELHI TODAY
 Unlike most cities of the West, the spatial growth of
Indian cities have been polynucleated and
multifunctional processes.
 Delhi today is an amalgam of historical and modern,
traditional and contemporary.
 Three distinct cityscapes dominate the metropolis:
1)The walled city of Shahjahanabad- traditional
organic housing replaced by apartment blocks.

2)New Delhi- The Anglo-Indian Rome of Sir

Edwin Lutyens (last phase of British Raj).

3)The Post independence Master plan

Delhi
 References
Books:

David Gordon (2006) Planning Twentieth Century Capital Cities, : Routledge.

Robert Byron (1997) New Delhi, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.

Lucy Peck (n.d.) Delhi: a thousand years of building.

Websites:

ARCHITECTURE OF DELHI - Delhi-city in conflict. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://delhi-

architecture.weebly.com/delhi-city-in-conflict.html. [Accessed 12 October 2013].

Princes and Painters in Mughal Delhi » Design of Delhi: Edwin Lutyens. 2013. [ONLINE] Available
at: http://sites.asiasociety.org/princesandpainters/design-of-delhi-edwin-lutyens/. [Accessed 11
October 2013].

Changing Image of Lutyens Delhi | Archinomy. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at:

http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/1158/changing-image-of-lutyens-delhi. [Accessed 12
October 2013].

New Delhi. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://archnet.org/library/places/one- place.jsp?

place_id=2722&order_by=title&showdescription=1. [Accessed 15 October 2013].
THANKYOU