Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Delhi - statistics and facts
From labyrinths of narrow lanes lined with various places of worship, bustling bazaars, and street food vendors in Old Delhi to the British-style capital city of New Delhi constituting spacious green avenues with imposing government buildings, Delhi is a microcosm of diversity. Delhi officially referred to as the National Capital Territory (NCT), has a long-standing history of serving as the seat of power for ruling dynasties in ancient and medieval times, and as the imperial capital of the British in India. Politically speaking, the city is also a union territory which is usually governed by the Union Government. However, Delhi is an exception to this rule and has its own elected government, currently, the Aam Admi Party (AAP).
Proximity to Delhi has led to infrastructure developments in suburban districts like Gurugram and Noida which have emerged as major hotspots for employment, investments, and housing. A spatial analysis of the region recorded a shift in economic activity from the core of Delhi to suburban NCR. Experts stress the need for comprehensive inter-regional planning to consolidate the region’s economic potential.
As Delhi’s AQI crossed the severe plus category in November 2024, stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was implemented to tackle the pollution. This includes barring trucks carrying non-essential items, commercial vehicles except EVs, or those running on clean fuels from entering Delhi. Construction activities are halted. Online teaching for most school grades and work-from-home measures for public employees are other measures in force. Given the severity of the situation, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the GRAP 4 curbs to be in force across NCR even if AQI drops below 400. More inter-regional planning between Delhi and its neighboring states is warranted to address the pollution problem.
Additionally, the capital city stands at the forefront of climate-change-induced disasters manifested in the form of scorching heat waves every year. The Yamuna River flowing through the city also exposes it to floodplain risks as seen in 2023 when the water levels surged to the highest in 70 years. Projected to be the most populous city by 2035, Delhi faces mammoth challenges like unchecked urbanization, pollution, and infrastructural and financial losses due to climate change.
Delhi-NCR’s urban expansion
The union territory attracts migrants from different parts of India, a factor driving Delhi’s expansion in population and territory. One of the world’s largest urban agglomerations, the National Capital Region (NCR) with Delhi at its core, is the epitome of complex urbanization. Megacity regions such as Delhi-NCR cut across multiple city and state jurisdictions, however, economically intertwined with a common labor pool. The complex tangle of cities and districts across various states makes having a canonical count of the region’s population difficult. Estimates by the NCR Planning Board suggested a population of around 71 million in 2021.Proximity to Delhi has led to infrastructure developments in suburban districts like Gurugram and Noida which have emerged as major hotspots for employment, investments, and housing. A spatial analysis of the region recorded a shift in economic activity from the core of Delhi to suburban NCR. Experts stress the need for comprehensive inter-regional planning to consolidate the region’s economic potential.
Facing environmental headwinds
During the winter months, Delhi and its neighboring NCR districts are covered in a haze of smog, and poor air quality. Emissions from vehicles, and industries, dust, firecrackers, and biomass burning within the city and its neighboring states, exacerbated by weather and the city’s location are some of the reasons that leave the city gasping for breath every year.As Delhi’s AQI crossed the severe plus category in November 2024, stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was implemented to tackle the pollution. This includes barring trucks carrying non-essential items, commercial vehicles except EVs, or those running on clean fuels from entering Delhi. Construction activities are halted. Online teaching for most school grades and work-from-home measures for public employees are other measures in force. Given the severity of the situation, the Supreme Court of India has ordered the GRAP 4 curbs to be in force across NCR even if AQI drops below 400. More inter-regional planning between Delhi and its neighboring states is warranted to address the pollution problem.
Additionally, the capital city stands at the forefront of climate-change-induced disasters manifested in the form of scorching heat waves every year. The Yamuna River flowing through the city also exposes it to floodplain risks as seen in 2023 when the water levels surged to the highest in 70 years. Projected to be the most populous city by 2035, Delhi faces mammoth challenges like unchecked urbanization, pollution, and infrastructural and financial losses due to climate change.
