Delhi, the capital city of India, was growing too big in size as the number of people inhabiting it started increasing in great numbers. Also, many industries started coming up and all of these made Delhi a clustered place. To ease off the city for its people, a plan was conceived during 1962 to develop an entirely industrial and metropolitan area. The area is what is known today as NCR (National Capital Region). Many developed cities like Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad are part of this area right now.

NCR is the place where many corporates and industries have set up their operations. Today, Gurgaon and Noida are considered to be the financial hubs of NCR as lots of foreign and Indian companies have their offices here. Due to these areas, Delhi is currently relatively free from the mad craze of globalization, modernization and industrialization. As more and more companies started getting built in areas like Gurgaon and Noida, the overall infrastructure of these cities started improving drastically. Cheap and effective labour and professional employee workforce encouraged many bigwigs in the IT, ITES, BPO, manufacturing and other service industries to outsource their operations to these areas.  The road connectivity between Delhi and NCR too saw great improvement. Due to these advancements, people now find it very easy to travel from their residences in Delhi to their offices in and around NCR.

It is the NCT (National Capital Territory) that manages the affairs of Delhi today. The Central Government plays quite a minimal role in managing the day to day affairs of Delhi’s administration. There is still some confusion prevailing among people if Delhi is a state or not – in reality it is not. However just all like all other states, the place witnesses Assembly elections once in every five years. The overall development of Delhi and NCR areas have directly and indirectly benefited nearby states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh etc. These states and other areas in the vicinity of NCR are brimming with huge shopping complexes, malls, international clothing and food joints, flyovers, sky-high buildings. The residences in these areas are today symbols of luxury. With international business giants setting up their base in the NCR area, there has been overall improvement in the economic conditions of people here.  Just a decade ago, this place was completely barren; however today, it is a completely different picture altogether. The NCR area is now filled with a wide range of flats and apartments that are mostly occupied by the corporate employees working here.  If you had been to this place 10 years ago, you are sure to be taken aback by the development and advancement that this area has undergone in the present day in this short span of time.

Regions or Zones in Delhi

If you are looking for a place that is a perfect amalgamation between the old and new, you must visit Delhi. Even today, there are few places in Old Delhi that are replete with an old-world charm which is a true rarity in the modern world today.  You might find some clustered streets there; however in other parts of New Delhi, all you will find is a well-planned lay out making lives easy for residents. For administration purposes, Delhi is further broken up into zones like North, South, East, West and Central. All of the areas in Delhi have residential and commercial values in them. Important areas like Pitampura, Model Town and Civil Lines are part of North Zone whereas the more famous areas like Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Pragati Maidan and Karol Bagh are part of Central Zone. These are the different zones of Delhi:

• East Delhi
• West Delhi
• North Delhi
• South Delhi
• Central Delhi
• NCR

East Delhi

East Delhi is that part of Delhi that is located on the eastern side of the famous and sacred Yamuna River. In the earlier days, there were only small and clustered streets in this area. However, in a bid to make residents feel more comfortable and at home, the infrastructure in this area has been stepped up by a great extent. Today, huge roads, better facilities and lots of comfortable residences are seen in this area, thanks to the constant efforts of the State Government in Delhi.  East Delhi, which comprises of important areas like Vivek Vihar, Shahadara, Gandhi Nagar, Mayur Vihar and Preet Vihar, is also known by the name, Trans Yamuna area.

As this place is quite nearby Uttar Pradesh, Ghaziabad and Noida, many people frequent this place in large numbers every day. Due to the large number of footfalls, there are quite a few eating joints here. Due to the variety of cuisine available in these places, people visiting East Delhi feel at home. It contributes heavily to the Delhi tourism industry as there are quite a few ancient temples and tourist spots in this place.  East Delhi is made up of:

• Mayur Vihar
• Patparganj
• Preet Vihar
• Shahdara

West Delhi

If you wish to indulge in shopping while you are in Delhi, you must visit West Delhi. Known for the amazing shopping experience it offers, West Delhi is filled with an array of shops housing all kinds of domestic and international products. There are markets exclusively dedicated for shopping and these places are absolute delights for the shopaholics. Apart from shops and markets selling the finest designer wear clothes, exquisite home accessories and others, you will also be able to find many shopping malls and educational institutions in West Delhi. Janakpuri, Punjabi Bagh and Rohini are some of the famous regions in West Delhi. The other important highlight of West Delhi is the quality and variety of restaurants that it houses. Tourists are assured to be treated to different kinds of cuisine styles in this part of Delhi. Since this is a purely residential location, there is no dearth of medical facilities here. Some of the reputed healthcare centres like Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital, Indraprastha Cancer Society and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital are located in West Delhi. In terms of transport too, West Delhi is well connected to other parts of Delhi through the famous metro train, bus, auto rickshaws and taxis.  West Delhi is made up of:

• Dwarka
• Janakpuri
• Punjabi Bagh
• Rohini

North Delhi

This is probably one of the most densely populated areas of Delhi. There are two important landmarks in North Delhi. One is the campus of the prestigious Delhi University and the other is the Paharganj Market, which is busy 24/7. North Delhi also has other famous points like Darya Ganj, Delhi Gate, Kashmere Gate, Pitampura, Civil Lines and Model Town. In spite of its crowd, North Delhi is a great residential area as there are lots of public amenities like hospitals, shopping malls, restaurants, good houses and lots of other sources for entertainment and recreation. It is here that the first underground metro train started off its operations from. North Delhi is made up of:

• Civil Lines
• Model Town
• Pitampura

South Delhi

This is an upscale locale of Delhi.  Most people from affluent backgrounds live here. Humayun Tomb, Qutub Minar and Purana Qila are some of the famous tourist spots here. Apart from this, tourists can find quite a lot of monuments with amazing architecture and history attached to them. When you are here, you can eat, shop and enjoy night life to a great extent.

South Delhi is one of those few places in Delhi that is both residential and commercial. Some of the highly significant areas with important offices and highly luxurious residences are Vasant Kunj, Safdarjung, Greater Kailash, Mehrauli and Lajpat Nagar. If you want to take a look at a variety of foreign embassies located in Delhi, you should visit Chanakya Puri in South Delhi.

Since the super-rich and highly famous people live here, South Delhi is the place that oozes with style and luxury in each and every nook and cranny of it. If you want to keep yourself updated about the latest trends in style and fashion, you should take a trip to South Delhi. This part of Delhi is made up of:

• Chanakyapuri
• Greater Kailash
• Lajpat Nagar
• Mehrauli
• Nehru Place
• Safdarjung
• South Extension
• Vasant Kunj

Central Delhi

Central Delhi is famous for its historic buildings that speak volumes about the brilliance of British architecture. It is one of the most important zones in Delhi as many important spots are located here. Some must-visit areas in Central Delhi are Lodhi Gardens, Connaught Place and Willingdon Crescent.

A bevy of tourist places like Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Sansad Bhavan, Jantar Mantar and St. James Church are located in Central Delhi. Tourists never get bored of Central Delhi as there are quite a few places to visit. It is the place that houses many important commercial and political establishments.

The buildings and historical monuments found in Central Delhi are a perfect blend of British and Mughal architecture. If you have an eye for history and architecture, this is the place to visit. You can also entertain yourself nicely here as there are many shopping malls, restaurants and clubs here. You can catch up with old friends in the pleasant evening hours at the India Gate as well.

Irrespective of the type of cuisine you are looking for, you will find it in Central Delhi. There are hundreds of restaurants and eating joints here that serve you lip-smacking local delicacies as well as international dishes in all price ranges. There are shops that sell anything from a pin to plane here; therefore, Central Delhi is surely a haven for shopaholics. The main areas of Central Delhi are:

• Chandni Chowk
• Connaught Place
• Karol Bagh
• Pragati Maidan

The following link will provide you more details about the different areas of Delhi.

http://delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/doit_rcs/RCS/Home/List+of+Zones