Jaipur (Rajasthani: जयपुर) (Urdu: جے پور) [ˈdʒʌeɪ.pʊər]( listen)), also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.5 million.
Jaipur is the first planned city of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. At present, Jaipur is a major business centre with all requisites of a metropolitan city.
The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 111 ft (34 m) wide. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex, (Hawa Mahal), formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is one of the World Heritage Sites.[1] Jaipur is a popular tourist destination in Rajasthan and India.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 History
* 2 Geography and climate
o 2.1 Geography
o 2.2 Climate
o 2.3 Fauna
* 3 Architecture
* 4 Administration
o 4.1 Politics
* 5 Infrastructure
* 6 Economy
o 6.1 Tourism
+ 6.1.1 Forts & Monuments
+ 6.1.2 Temples
+ 6.1.3 Gardens
* 7 Demographics
* 8 Culture
o 8.1 Arts and Crafts
+ 8.1.1 Performing Arts
o 8.2 Cuisine
o 8.3 Festivals
* 9 Sports
* 10 Education
* 11 Media
* 12 Transport
o 12.1 Road
+ 12.1.1 City Bus
+ 12.1.2 Jaipur BRTS
o 12.2 Rail
+ 12.2.1 Jaipur Metro
o 12.3 Air
* 13 Sister cities
* 14 References
* 15 Further reading
* 16 External links
[edit] History
Main article: History of Jaipur
Jaipur, Principal Street, c. 1875
Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II who ruled from 1699–1744 and initially his capital was Amber, which lies at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. The King consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the layout of Jaipur. Finally under the architectural guidance of Vidyadar Bhattacharya, (initially an accounts-clerk in the Amber treasury and later promoted to the office of Chief Architect by the King) Jaipur came into existence on the classical basis of principles of Vastu Shastra and similar classical treatise.
After waging several battles with the Marathas, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was keen on the security aspect of the city. Being a lover of Astronomy, Mathematics and Astrophysics, Jai Singh sought advice from Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a Brahmin scholar of Bengal, to aid him to design many other buildings including the Royal Palace in the center of the city.
The construction of the city started in 1727. It took around 4 years to complete the major palaces, roads and square. The city was built following the principles of Shilpa Shastra, the science of Indian Architecture. The city was divided into nine blocks, of which two consist the state buildings and palaces, with the remaining seven allotted to the public. Huge fortification walls were built along with seven strong gates.
For the time, architecture of the town was very advanced and certainly the best in Indian subcontinent. In 1853, when the Prince of Wales visited Jaipur, the whole city was painted pink to welcome him during the regime of Sawai Ram Singh. Today, avenues remain painted in pink, provide a distinctive appearance to the city.[2] In the 19th century the city grew rapidly; by 1900 it had a population of 160,000. The city's wide boulevards were paved and lit.
The city had several hospitals. Its chief industries were of metals and marble, fostered by a school of art founded in 1868. The city also had three colleges, including a Sanskrit college (1865) and a girls' school (1867) initiated under the reign of the enigmatic Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II. There was also a wealthy and enterprising community of native bankers, particularly the Jain, Marwaris and the administrators Kayastha. Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh Bahadur, the last maharaja of Jaipur, died on April 17th 2011 at a private hospital in Gurgaon following multi-organ failure
[edit] Geography and climate
[edit] Geography
Jal Mahal.
Jaipur is the headquarters of the Jaipur district which is situated in the eastern part of Rajasthan. It is located at 26°55′N 75°49′E / 26.92°N 75.82°E / 26.92; 75.82.[3] It has an average elevation of 431 metres (1417 ft).
The major rivers passing through the Jaipur district are Banas and Banganga. Ground water resources to the extent of about 28.65 million cubic meter are available in the district. Although serious drought is rare, poor water management and exploitation of groundwater with extensive tube-well systems threatens agriculture in some areas.
[edit] Climate
Jaipur (Sanganer)
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
8
23
8
12
26
11
6
32
16
4
37
21
16
40
25
66
40
27
216
34
26
231
32
24
80
33
23
23
33
19
3
29
13
3
24
9
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: India Weather On Web
[show]Imperial conversion
J F M A M J J A S O N D
0.3
73
46
0.5
79
52
0.2
90
61
0.2
99
70
0.6
104
77
2.6
104
81
8.5
93
79
9.1
90
75
3.1
91
73
0.9
91
66
0.1
84
55
0.1
75
48
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Jaipur has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) receiving over 650 millimetres (26 in) of rainfall annually but most rains occur in the monsoon months between June and September. Temperatures remain relatively high throughout the year, with the summer months of April to early July having average daily temperatures of around 30 °C (86 °F). During the monsoon there are frequent, heavy rains and thunderstorms, but flooding is not common. The winter months of November to February are mild and pleasant, with average temperatures ranging from 15–18 °C (59–64 °F) and with little or no humidity. There are however occasional cold waves that lead to temperatures near freezing.[4]
Panoramic view from the hills surrounding Jaipur
[hide]Climate data for Jaipur
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 30
(86) 32
(90) 40
(104) 43
(109) 45
(113) 43
(109) 45
(113) 39
(102) 39
(102) 38
(100) 37
(99) 32
(90) 45
(113)
Average high °C (°F) 23
(73) 26
(79) 32
(90) 37
(99) 40
(104) 40
(104) 34
(93) 32
(90) 33
(91) 33
(91) 29
(84) 24
(75) 31.9
(89.5)
Average low °C (°F) 8
(46) 11
(52) 16
(61) 21
(70) 25
(77) 27
(81) 26
(79) 24
(75) 23
(73) 19
(66) 13
(55) 9
(48) 18.5
(65.3)
Record low °C (°F) 1
(34) 0
(32) 5
(41) 12
(54) 17
(63) 21
(70) 16
(61) 20
(68) 19
(66) 10
(50) 6
(43) 3
(37) 0
(32)
Precipitation mm (inches) 8
(0.31) 12
(0.47) 6
(0.24) 4
(0.16) 16
(0.63) 66
(2.6) 216
(8.5) 231
(9.09) 80
(3.15) 23
(0.91) 3
(0.12) 3
(0.12) 668
(26.3)
Source: BBC Weather
[edit] Fauna
Monkeys in Jaipur
In Jaipur there is a colony of 60 monkeys.[5]
[edit] Architecture
The Ganesh Pol of Amber fort.Amber is now part of Jaipur Municipal Corporation
Jaipur is considered by many urbanites to be one of the best planned cities. In an era when most of the Rajputs were busy fighting with each other, Jaipur's kings diplomatically broadened their control sphere maintaining good relations with the Mughals.
The city was planned according to Indian Vastu Shastra (Vedic Planning for the comfort and prosperity of the citizens). The directions of each street and market are East to West and North to South. The Eastern gate is called Suraj (Sun) Pol, while the Western gate is called Chand (Moon) Pol. There are three gates facing East, West, and North and a Northern gate (known as Zorawar Singh gate) which faces toward the ancestral capital of Amber, while many gates face South.
Although the present city has expanded from outside of its walls, the original planning was within the walls. The gates used to be closed at sunset and opened at sunrise. Almost all Northern Indian towns of that period presented a chaotic picture of narrow twisting lanes, a confusion of run-down forts, temples, palaces, and temporary shacks that bore no resemblance at all to the principles set out in Hindu architectural manuals which call for strict geometric planning. Thus, for Sawai Jai Singh II and the Bengali Guru Vidyadhar, the founding of Jaipur was also a ritual and a great opportunity to plan a whole town according to the principles of Hindu architectural theory.
The town of Jaipur is built in the form of a eight-part Mandala known as the 'Pithapada'. Nine signifies the nine planets of the ancient astrological zodiac. It is also known that Sawai Jai Singh II was a great astronomer and a town planner, and hence the 'Pithapada'. Also, the commercial shops are designed in multiples of nine (27), having one cross street for a planet.
[edit] Administration
Main articles: Jaipur Municipal Corporation and Jaipur district
The administration is handled here at the State , Division and District Level.
Jaipur being the capital of the state , this city has the Secretariat which has almost all the administrative officers looking into the functioning of the State Government.Apart from the Secretariat Jaipur has the police headquarters also .
[edit] Politics
The Vidhan Sabha of Rajasthan in Jaipur
The recent(2008) general election showed tremendous swing toward the Indian National Congress (INC) with Ashok Gehlot emerging as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. The INC had won only 2 of 14 parliament elections in the past. Currently Mahesh Joshi is the MP from Jaipur. Previously, Girdhari Lal Bhargava of BJP was the MP from Jaipur, who won for the first time in 1989 and has been elected six times since then.
Jaipur Districts has 19 constituencies for electing MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) of Rajasthan, namely Shahpura, Chaksu, Bassi, Bagru, Sanganer, Malviya Nagar, Adarsh Nagar, Kishanpole, Civil Lines, Vidhyadhar Nagar, Hawa Mahal, Jamva Ramgarh, Amber or Amer, Banipark, Dudu, Phulera, Chomu, Virat Nagar and Kotputli. Banipark is the largest among these constituencies. Rajasthan's stalwart Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has also has been elected the MLA of Jaipur for three times.
Jyoti Khandelwal is the new Mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC). Totally, there are 70 seats for Vidhan Parishad in Jaipur District. Mr. B.L. Soni is the first Police Commissioner of Jaipur.
[edit] Infrastructure
World Trade Park in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
In the 2008 Conde Nast Traveller Readers Choice Survey,[6] Jaipur was ranked the 7th best place to visit in Asia and in another poll it was ranked third among twelve major Indian cities.[citation needed]
Modern infrastructural facilities are developing fast, and in many cases surpass those of larger cities like Delhi and Kolkata.[citation needed] The city is expanding very quickly and has become a hot spot for development in Rajasthan. Jaipur International Airport is located at a satellite location of Sanganer and offer's flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Guwahati along with sporadic services to International locations such as Dubai.
Jaipur has a well maintained road network with multi-story flyovers and traffic lights with closed circuit cameras. Police control room (PCR) vans are being equipped with GPS to monitor locations and help maintain law and order.
Jaipur boasts of International Living standards with well planned colonies of grid like patterns (sectors and blocks) and parks well maintained by JDA (Jaipur Development Authority). The various Shopping malls and Multiplexes which offer a urban lifestyle to Jaipurites.
Sawai Mansingh Cricket stadium in Jaipur is a popular venue for many International matches and for Indian Premier League matches. Events like Jaipur Jewelry Show and Jaipur Literature Festival offer a common platform for people not only from India but from other countries also, giving Jaipur a cosmopolitan image.
Sawai Mansingh Hospital, SDMH (Durlabhji Hospital) and Fortis Hospital are among the most famed hospitals of Jaipur. Apart from these, there are more than 40 small and mid sized hospitals in the city.
Old city of Jaipur is highly congested, whereas suburbs of Jaipur provide wide roads with free flow of traffic. Tech Park has already became operational, built by Mahindra Group and is expected to complete by 2011.
[edit] Economy
Jaipur district is a centre for both traditional and modern industries. It is famous as largest exporter of Gold, Diamond and Stone Jewellery in Asia and only City finishing blue diamond or called Tanzanite in the world. . The main industrial products include: acetylene gas, ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced) cable, all-purpose flour (maida), atta flour, ball bearings, bottling of LPG, ceramics, pottery, cold roll strips, corrugated boxes, deoiled cakes, durries, dyeing and printing, edible oil, electronic items, engraving on brass items, ferrous and non-ferrous castings, gems and jewelry, general engineering and manufacturing, granite slabs and tiles, hand-made paper, handicraft items, halogen automobile headlamps, "hawai" chappals (sandals), household electrical appliances, HT steel strips, iodized salt, lamps, laminated springs for railways, marble statues, marble tiles & slabs, moulded plastic components for electronics, nitrochlorobenzene, oxygen gas, perfumes, pigments, plastic containers, P.P. multifilament yarn, PVC cables, PVC doors, PVC footwear, canvas shoes, Portland cement, ready made garments (clothing), re-roller products, semolina (suji), steel furniture, steel ingots, stone grits, synthetic leather, suits & shirts made of synthetic materials, tablets and capsules, two way radio and line, washing soap, wheat, woollen carpets, refined vegetable oil and vanaspati ghee heavy Steel fabrication, brass and lacquer work, enamel work, gems and jewellery, granite tiles, handlooms, marble statues, printed cloth and textiles, ready made garments, woollen and silk carpets.
Jaipur has been ranked 31 among the 50 Emerging Global Outsourcing cities.[7] Genpact and Infosys have their BPO already established and running successfully. In fact Genpact has the fastest growing location in Jaipur. Real Estate business is flourishing well from last 2–3 years. Some of the companies already present here include MICO, Coca Cola, IBM, Ericsson and NEI populary known as NBC Bearings.
Jaipur also has Reserve bank of India and many other prominent international banks. India's largest integrated IT SEZ Mahindra World City is located in Jaipur. Master planned by Jurong Constructions Singapore it covers nearly 3,000 acres (12 km2) of land off Ajmer highway and has already attracted major companies like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, ISYS BPO Services, Truworth and Deutsche Bank. India's one of a kind World Trade Park is also under construction in Malaviya Nagar. It will be having luxury hotel, business halls, five screen multiplex, underwater restaurant and many showrooms of international brands. In coming years it will be the hub for modern business development in Jaipur.[citation needed]
Number of large and medium scale running units: 48 Number of small scale units: 19,544 Number of industrial areas: 19 (Bagru, Bassi, Bais Godam, Bindyaka, Dudu, Hirawala, Jetpura, Jhotwara, Kaladera, Kanakpura, Kartarpura, Malviya Nagar, Phulera, Renwal, Sanganer, Shahpura, Sitapura, Sudarshanpur and Vishwakarma). Jaipur is soon planned to have an International Convention Centre and a Golf course. A film city near Agra highway is also in the pipeline.[citation needed]
[edit] Tourism
Jantar Mantar attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Amber Fort
Tourism is important sector of the city's economy
The Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur
Albert hall
Hawa Mahal
Lakshmi-Narayan Temple
The Jal Mahal
Rambagh Palace
Maharaja Palace Jaipur
Jaipur is a very famous tourist and education destination in India. Lots of people flock to Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which reflect its glorious past. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipur's economy. Some of the world's best hotels are located here. Major facilities and infrastructure development are expected to increase the number of tourists visiting Jaipur. The city provides opportunities for niche tourism like Dental tourism.[8] Tourism contributes a significant amount to Jaipur's income.
[edit] Forts & Monuments
Jaipur has a number of forts and monuments like Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Jal Mahal, Rambagh Palace, Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)
[edit] Temples
The landscape of Jaipur is dotted with numerous temples. One can find temples in almost every street. It is because of the numerous temples, and religiosity among people that it is sometimes also known as Chhoti Kashi. Some of the famous temples in Jaipur include Govind Dev Ji Temple, Galtaji, Birla Temple (also known as Lakshmi Narayan Mandir), Garh Ganesh Temple, Shila Devi Temple in Amber, Chamtkareshwer Mahadev, Panchayati Hall,Radha Govind Ji Temple.
[edit] Gardens
The city is doted with beautiful gardens and parks. Prominent among them are Ram Niwas Garden, Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace, Vidyadhar Garden, Kanak Vrindavan, Central Park, Jawahar Circle Garden, Technology Park in Mansarover, Vidyadhar ka Bagh in Goner.
Other places of interest include Chand Baori (stepwell), Chokhi Dhani (a village resort), Kathputhli slum a Jaipur slum, Raj Mandir Cinema (a beautiful cinema hall).
[edit] Demographics
[show]Jaipur population
Census Pop. %±
1981 1,015,200
—
1991 1,518,200 49.5%
2001 2,322,575 53.0%
Est. 2013 5,000,000 115.3%
Source: Census of India[9]
As of 2001 India census,[10] Jaipur Municipal Corporation area had a population of 2,322,575. The Jaipur District had a population of 5,251,071 with 2,768,203 males and 2,482,868 females marking a 35.10% increase in population since 1991. While 50.63% people lived in rural areas, 49.36% lived in urban areas. The overall literacy rate for the district was 69.80%. 82.80% males and 55.52% females were literate. The sex ratio was 897 (females per 1000 males).The major religion is Hinduism. Muslims and Jains also form a sizable chunk of the population.[11]
Hindi and Rajasthani are the most common language for communication. English, Punjabi,Sindhi are also widely spoken.According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report of 2009, Jaipur ranks 3rd in the list of 35 Indian cities with a population of more than 10 lakh in the crime rate.[12] City's main jail is Jaipur Central Jail.
[edit] Culture
Jawahar Kala Kendra, designed by Charles Correa, in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Jaipur is a hotspot for culture. Cultural Centres like Jawahar Kala Kendra and Ravindra Manch have helped promote the unique culture of the state of Rajasthan. Albert Hall Museum (Government Central Museum) hosts several arts and antiquities. There is a Government Museum at Hawa Mahal, an art gallery at Viratnagar. Jaipur also hosts the Numismatic Section, Directorate. The Town Hall (Old Vidhan Sabha Bhawan) is slated to be converted into a museum. There are figurines depicting various forms of Rajasthani culture along various parts of the city. The city also decorated its flyovers with different interesting themes.
[edit] Arts and Crafts
The rulers of Jaipur patronized a number of arts and crafts. They invited skilled artisans, artists and craftsmen from India and abroad. The different communities settled in various parts of city and made Jaipur their home. As a result, Jaipur is a major hub for various kinds of arts and crafts. Some of the crafts include Bandhani; Block printing; Stone carving and Sculpture; Tarkashi; Zari, Gota, Kinari and Zardozi; Silver Jewellery; Gems, Kundan, Meenakari and Jewellery; Miniature paintings; Blue Pottery; Ivory carving; Shellac work; Leatherware, etc.
[edit] Performing Arts
Jaipur also has its own performing arts. The Jaipur Gharana of Kathak is a notable example. Others include Tamasha.
[edit] Cuisine
The city has a very delectable cuisine. Some of the local dishes have become world-famous names. Typical dishes include Dal Baati Churma, Missi Roti. Sweet dishes include Ghevar, Feeni, Chauguni ke laddu, Mohan Thal.[13]
[edit] Festivals
A number of festivals are organized in the city at various time of the year. Some of them include Gangaur Festival, Jaipur Literature Festival, Kite festival, Teej festival, Shitla Mata Fair, Chaksu Fair, Elephant Fair.[14]
[edit] Sports
Polo, Cricket, Tennis, Badminton, Kabaddi are the most popular sports in the city. Sawai Mansingh Stadium having a seating capacity of 30,000 has hosted many national and international cricket matches. Besides cricket, the sports complex has excellent sports facilities for various indoor and outdoor sports. Many international badminton and tennis tournaments have happened here. The city is also represented in the IPL by the team Rajasthan Royals. The Polo Club caters to Polo lovers. Jai Club and other clubs throughout city provide facilities for other sports. Most of the schools have excellent sports facilities for ball games such as cricket,football,tennis,basketball,hockey,etc...
[edit] Education
Recently, Jaipur has become a developed centre for education. The city is very peaceful and many north Indian families prefer to send their offspring to Jaipur for higher and technical education. Jaipur has more than 60 Engineering colleges, 40 Business management institutes, 15 Pharmacy Institutes, 4 hotel management Institutes, 3 Medical colleges and 6 Dental colleges. It also has 8 universities including the Rajasthan University. Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur and The LNM Institute of Information Technology, Jaipur ( Deemed University ) are one of the best technical institutes in India. The city is also home to more than 250 schools affiliated with CBSE and ICSE.
[edit] Media
Newspapers in Jaipur include Hindi dailies as Rajasthan Patrika, Dainik Bhaskar, Navbharat Times, and English dailies such as The Times of India, The Economic Times, The Hindustan Times, The Hindu, etc. The state-owned All India Radio Jaipur is broadcast both on the Medium Wave and FM bands in the city.It competes with six private local FM stations—Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz), Radio City (91.1 MHz), My FM (94.3 MHz), Radio Tadka 95 FM (95.0 MHz), Gyan Vaani (105.6 MHz) and South Asia FM (Red FM) (93.5 MHz). The city also has a community FM channel in FM Radio 7 by India International School Institutional Network. The public broadcaster Doordarshan (Prasar Bharati) provide a regional channel besides the mainstay channels. DTH is gaining popularity over private cable operators for telivision viewing. The city's telephone services are provided by landline and mobile operators such as BSNL, Reliance CDMA & Reliance GSM, Airtel, MTS, Uninor, Tata Docomo, Aircel, Vodafone, Idea and Tata Indicom.
[edit] Transport
Jaipur Kishangarh Express Way
[edit] Road
The city of Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and is centrally located. National Highway No.8 links Delhi to Mumbai, National Highway No.12 links to Kota and National Highway No.11 links Bikaner to Agra, passing through Jaipur district with a total length of 366 km. The total length of different types of roads in the district was approximately 4,102 km in March 2000.RSRTC operates bus service to all the parts of Rajasthan and New delhi, Uttar pradesh, Haryana, Madhya pradesh.Bus service is operated from Sindhi camp, Jawahar nagar bus stand, Durgapura bus stand, Sodala bus stand.
Jaipur International Airport
[edit] City Bus
City buses are operated by Jaipur City transport Services Limited (JCSTL)[15] of RSRTC under JNNURM. The total number of city buses being operated stands more than 300. It includes both regular buses and low-floor buses. There are 3 bus depots Vaishali Nagar, vidyadhar nagar and Sanganer.The city bus service covers whole city. A Hop on Hop off Bus Service is also proposed for tourists.[16]
[edit] Jaipur BRTS
Main article: Jaipur BRTS
Jaipur Bus Rapid Transit Service was approved by government in August 2006 for implementation.[17] The responsibility for managing Jaipur BRTS has been given to JCSTL, a Special Pupose Vehicle formed by Jaipur Development Authority and Jaipur Nagar Nigam in a joint venture.[17] The BRTS is expected to cater to city's growing traffic for next 15-20 years. In Phase I, two corridors have been proposed.[17]
* Sikar Road to Tonk Road - North-South Corridor
* Ajmer Road to Delhi Road - East-West Corridor
A section of North-South Corridoor from C-Zone Bypass near Harmada to Pani Pech became operational in 2010.[17]
[edit] Rail
Jaipur Railway Station is the headquarters of the North Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways. It has direct trains on the broad gauge network to all major cities in Rajasthan and India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kota, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Raipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Trivendrum etc. and metre gauge network to Sri Ganganagar, Churu and Sikar. One of India's most famous and luxurious trains The Palace on Wheels, also makes a scheduled stop in Jaipur.
[edit] Jaipur Metro
Main article: Jaipur Metro
Am ambitious rapid transit rail project by the name Jaipur Metro is under progress. It will provide means of faster commutation for the city residents. It is expected to be operational by 2014.
[edit] Air
Main article: Jaipur Airport
Jaipur International Airport is situated in its satellite town of Sanganer, at a distance of 10 km from city center and offers sporadic service to major domestic and international locations. The Terminal 1 is used for both international and domestic flights, while Terminal 2 is reserved for domestic carriers. The airport handled 255704 international and 1267876 passengers in 2009-2010.[18] Jaipur Airport also provides air cargo services. The up-gradation of airport has offered improved connectivity and wider choice of services to air travellers, boosting both international tourism and economic development of the region. Frequently, during winter, many flights for Indira Gandhi International Airport are diverted to Jaipur airport due to heavy fog in Delhi.[19]
Jaipur is the first planned city of India, located in the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan. The city which once had been the capital of the royalty now is the capital city of Rajasthan. The very structure of Jaipur resembles the taste of the Rajputs and the Royal families. At present, Jaipur is a major business centre with all requisites of a metropolitan city.
The city is remarkable among pre-modern Indian cities for the width and regularity of its streets which are laid out into six sectors separated by broad streets 111 ft (34 m) wide. The urban quarters are further divided by networks of gridded streets. Five quarters wrap around the east, south, and west sides of a central palace quarter, with a sixth quarter immediately to the east. The Palace quarter encloses a sprawling palace complex, (Hawa Mahal), formal gardens, and a small lake. Nahargarh Fort, which was the residence of the King Sawai Jai Singh II, crowns the hill in the northwest corner of the old city. The observatory, Jantar Mantar, is one of the World Heritage Sites.[1] Jaipur is a popular tourist destination in Rajasthan and India.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 History
* 2 Geography and climate
o 2.1 Geography
o 2.2 Climate
o 2.3 Fauna
* 3 Architecture
* 4 Administration
o 4.1 Politics
* 5 Infrastructure
* 6 Economy
o 6.1 Tourism
+ 6.1.1 Forts & Monuments
+ 6.1.2 Temples
+ 6.1.3 Gardens
* 7 Demographics
* 8 Culture
o 8.1 Arts and Crafts
+ 8.1.1 Performing Arts
o 8.2 Cuisine
o 8.3 Festivals
* 9 Sports
* 10 Education
* 11 Media
* 12 Transport
o 12.1 Road
+ 12.1.1 City Bus
+ 12.1.2 Jaipur BRTS
o 12.2 Rail
+ 12.2.1 Jaipur Metro
o 12.3 Air
* 13 Sister cities
* 14 References
* 15 Further reading
* 16 External links
[edit] History
Main article: History of Jaipur
Jaipur, Principal Street, c. 1875
Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II who ruled from 1699–1744 and initially his capital was Amber, which lies at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur. He felt the need of shifting his capital city with the increase in population and growing scarcity of water. The King consulted several books on architecture and architects before making the layout of Jaipur. Finally under the architectural guidance of Vidyadar Bhattacharya, (initially an accounts-clerk in the Amber treasury and later promoted to the office of Chief Architect by the King) Jaipur came into existence on the classical basis of principles of Vastu Shastra and similar classical treatise.
After waging several battles with the Marathas, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was keen on the security aspect of the city. Being a lover of Astronomy, Mathematics and Astrophysics, Jai Singh sought advice from Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, a Brahmin scholar of Bengal, to aid him to design many other buildings including the Royal Palace in the center of the city.
The construction of the city started in 1727. It took around 4 years to complete the major palaces, roads and square. The city was built following the principles of Shilpa Shastra, the science of Indian Architecture. The city was divided into nine blocks, of which two consist the state buildings and palaces, with the remaining seven allotted to the public. Huge fortification walls were built along with seven strong gates.
For the time, architecture of the town was very advanced and certainly the best in Indian subcontinent. In 1853, when the Prince of Wales visited Jaipur, the whole city was painted pink to welcome him during the regime of Sawai Ram Singh. Today, avenues remain painted in pink, provide a distinctive appearance to the city.[2] In the 19th century the city grew rapidly; by 1900 it had a population of 160,000. The city's wide boulevards were paved and lit.
The city had several hospitals. Its chief industries were of metals and marble, fostered by a school of art founded in 1868. The city also had three colleges, including a Sanskrit college (1865) and a girls' school (1867) initiated under the reign of the enigmatic Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II. There was also a wealthy and enterprising community of native bankers, particularly the Jain, Marwaris and the administrators Kayastha. Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh Bahadur, the last maharaja of Jaipur, died on April 17th 2011 at a private hospital in Gurgaon following multi-organ failure
[edit] Geography and climate
[edit] Geography
Jal Mahal.
Jaipur is the headquarters of the Jaipur district which is situated in the eastern part of Rajasthan. It is located at 26°55′N 75°49′E / 26.92°N 75.82°E / 26.92; 75.82.[3] It has an average elevation of 431 metres (1417 ft).
The major rivers passing through the Jaipur district are Banas and Banganga. Ground water resources to the extent of about 28.65 million cubic meter are available in the district. Although serious drought is rare, poor water management and exploitation of groundwater with extensive tube-well systems threatens agriculture in some areas.
[edit] Climate
Jaipur (Sanganer)
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D
8
23
8
12
26
11
6
32
16
4
37
21
16
40
25
66
40
27
216
34
26
231
32
24
80
33
23
23
33
19
3
29
13
3
24
9
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: India Weather On Web
[show]Imperial conversion
J F M A M J J A S O N D
0.3
73
46
0.5
79
52
0.2
90
61
0.2
99
70
0.6
104
77
2.6
104
81
8.5
93
79
9.1
90
75
3.1
91
73
0.9
91
66
0.1
84
55
0.1
75
48
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Jaipur has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) receiving over 650 millimetres (26 in) of rainfall annually but most rains occur in the monsoon months between June and September. Temperatures remain relatively high throughout the year, with the summer months of April to early July having average daily temperatures of around 30 °C (86 °F). During the monsoon there are frequent, heavy rains and thunderstorms, but flooding is not common. The winter months of November to February are mild and pleasant, with average temperatures ranging from 15–18 °C (59–64 °F) and with little or no humidity. There are however occasional cold waves that lead to temperatures near freezing.[4]
Panoramic view from the hills surrounding Jaipur
[hide]Climate data for Jaipur
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 30
(86) 32
(90) 40
(104) 43
(109) 45
(113) 43
(109) 45
(113) 39
(102) 39
(102) 38
(100) 37
(99) 32
(90) 45
(113)
Average high °C (°F) 23
(73) 26
(79) 32
(90) 37
(99) 40
(104) 40
(104) 34
(93) 32
(90) 33
(91) 33
(91) 29
(84) 24
(75) 31.9
(89.5)
Average low °C (°F) 8
(46) 11
(52) 16
(61) 21
(70) 25
(77) 27
(81) 26
(79) 24
(75) 23
(73) 19
(66) 13
(55) 9
(48) 18.5
(65.3)
Record low °C (°F) 1
(34) 0
(32) 5
(41) 12
(54) 17
(63) 21
(70) 16
(61) 20
(68) 19
(66) 10
(50) 6
(43) 3
(37) 0
(32)
Precipitation mm (inches) 8
(0.31) 12
(0.47) 6
(0.24) 4
(0.16) 16
(0.63) 66
(2.6) 216
(8.5) 231
(9.09) 80
(3.15) 23
(0.91) 3
(0.12) 3
(0.12) 668
(26.3)
Source: BBC Weather
[edit] Fauna
Monkeys in Jaipur
In Jaipur there is a colony of 60 monkeys.[5]
[edit] Architecture
The Ganesh Pol of Amber fort.Amber is now part of Jaipur Municipal Corporation
Jaipur is considered by many urbanites to be one of the best planned cities. In an era when most of the Rajputs were busy fighting with each other, Jaipur's kings diplomatically broadened their control sphere maintaining good relations with the Mughals.
The city was planned according to Indian Vastu Shastra (Vedic Planning for the comfort and prosperity of the citizens). The directions of each street and market are East to West and North to South. The Eastern gate is called Suraj (Sun) Pol, while the Western gate is called Chand (Moon) Pol. There are three gates facing East, West, and North and a Northern gate (known as Zorawar Singh gate) which faces toward the ancestral capital of Amber, while many gates face South.
Although the present city has expanded from outside of its walls, the original planning was within the walls. The gates used to be closed at sunset and opened at sunrise. Almost all Northern Indian towns of that period presented a chaotic picture of narrow twisting lanes, a confusion of run-down forts, temples, palaces, and temporary shacks that bore no resemblance at all to the principles set out in Hindu architectural manuals which call for strict geometric planning. Thus, for Sawai Jai Singh II and the Bengali Guru Vidyadhar, the founding of Jaipur was also a ritual and a great opportunity to plan a whole town according to the principles of Hindu architectural theory.
The town of Jaipur is built in the form of a eight-part Mandala known as the 'Pithapada'. Nine signifies the nine planets of the ancient astrological zodiac. It is also known that Sawai Jai Singh II was a great astronomer and a town planner, and hence the 'Pithapada'. Also, the commercial shops are designed in multiples of nine (27), having one cross street for a planet.
[edit] Administration
Main articles: Jaipur Municipal Corporation and Jaipur district
The administration is handled here at the State , Division and District Level.
Jaipur being the capital of the state , this city has the Secretariat which has almost all the administrative officers looking into the functioning of the State Government.Apart from the Secretariat Jaipur has the police headquarters also .
[edit] Politics
The Vidhan Sabha of Rajasthan in Jaipur
The recent(2008) general election showed tremendous swing toward the Indian National Congress (INC) with Ashok Gehlot emerging as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. The INC had won only 2 of 14 parliament elections in the past. Currently Mahesh Joshi is the MP from Jaipur. Previously, Girdhari Lal Bhargava of BJP was the MP from Jaipur, who won for the first time in 1989 and has been elected six times since then.
Jaipur Districts has 19 constituencies for electing MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) of Rajasthan, namely Shahpura, Chaksu, Bassi, Bagru, Sanganer, Malviya Nagar, Adarsh Nagar, Kishanpole, Civil Lines, Vidhyadhar Nagar, Hawa Mahal, Jamva Ramgarh, Amber or Amer, Banipark, Dudu, Phulera, Chomu, Virat Nagar and Kotputli. Banipark is the largest among these constituencies. Rajasthan's stalwart Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has also has been elected the MLA of Jaipur for three times.
Jyoti Khandelwal is the new Mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC). Totally, there are 70 seats for Vidhan Parishad in Jaipur District. Mr. B.L. Soni is the first Police Commissioner of Jaipur.
[edit] Infrastructure
World Trade Park in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
In the 2008 Conde Nast Traveller Readers Choice Survey,[6] Jaipur was ranked the 7th best place to visit in Asia and in another poll it was ranked third among twelve major Indian cities.[citation needed]
Modern infrastructural facilities are developing fast, and in many cases surpass those of larger cities like Delhi and Kolkata.[citation needed] The city is expanding very quickly and has become a hot spot for development in Rajasthan. Jaipur International Airport is located at a satellite location of Sanganer and offer's flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Guwahati along with sporadic services to International locations such as Dubai.
Jaipur has a well maintained road network with multi-story flyovers and traffic lights with closed circuit cameras. Police control room (PCR) vans are being equipped with GPS to monitor locations and help maintain law and order.
Jaipur boasts of International Living standards with well planned colonies of grid like patterns (sectors and blocks) and parks well maintained by JDA (Jaipur Development Authority). The various Shopping malls and Multiplexes which offer a urban lifestyle to Jaipurites.
Sawai Mansingh Cricket stadium in Jaipur is a popular venue for many International matches and for Indian Premier League matches. Events like Jaipur Jewelry Show and Jaipur Literature Festival offer a common platform for people not only from India but from other countries also, giving Jaipur a cosmopolitan image.
Sawai Mansingh Hospital, SDMH (Durlabhji Hospital) and Fortis Hospital are among the most famed hospitals of Jaipur. Apart from these, there are more than 40 small and mid sized hospitals in the city.
Old city of Jaipur is highly congested, whereas suburbs of Jaipur provide wide roads with free flow of traffic. Tech Park has already became operational, built by Mahindra Group and is expected to complete by 2011.
[edit] Economy
Jaipur district is a centre for both traditional and modern industries. It is famous as largest exporter of Gold, Diamond and Stone Jewellery in Asia and only City finishing blue diamond or called Tanzanite in the world. . The main industrial products include: acetylene gas, ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced) cable, all-purpose flour (maida), atta flour, ball bearings, bottling of LPG, ceramics, pottery, cold roll strips, corrugated boxes, deoiled cakes, durries, dyeing and printing, edible oil, electronic items, engraving on brass items, ferrous and non-ferrous castings, gems and jewelry, general engineering and manufacturing, granite slabs and tiles, hand-made paper, handicraft items, halogen automobile headlamps, "hawai" chappals (sandals), household electrical appliances, HT steel strips, iodized salt, lamps, laminated springs for railways, marble statues, marble tiles & slabs, moulded plastic components for electronics, nitrochlorobenzene, oxygen gas, perfumes, pigments, plastic containers, P.P. multifilament yarn, PVC cables, PVC doors, PVC footwear, canvas shoes, Portland cement, ready made garments (clothing), re-roller products, semolina (suji), steel furniture, steel ingots, stone grits, synthetic leather, suits & shirts made of synthetic materials, tablets and capsules, two way radio and line, washing soap, wheat, woollen carpets, refined vegetable oil and vanaspati ghee heavy Steel fabrication, brass and lacquer work, enamel work, gems and jewellery, granite tiles, handlooms, marble statues, printed cloth and textiles, ready made garments, woollen and silk carpets.
Jaipur has been ranked 31 among the 50 Emerging Global Outsourcing cities.[7] Genpact and Infosys have their BPO already established and running successfully. In fact Genpact has the fastest growing location in Jaipur. Real Estate business is flourishing well from last 2–3 years. Some of the companies already present here include MICO, Coca Cola, IBM, Ericsson and NEI populary known as NBC Bearings.
Jaipur also has Reserve bank of India and many other prominent international banks. India's largest integrated IT SEZ Mahindra World City is located in Jaipur. Master planned by Jurong Constructions Singapore it covers nearly 3,000 acres (12 km2) of land off Ajmer highway and has already attracted major companies like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, ISYS BPO Services, Truworth and Deutsche Bank. India's one of a kind World Trade Park is also under construction in Malaviya Nagar. It will be having luxury hotel, business halls, five screen multiplex, underwater restaurant and many showrooms of international brands. In coming years it will be the hub for modern business development in Jaipur.[citation needed]
Number of large and medium scale running units: 48 Number of small scale units: 19,544 Number of industrial areas: 19 (Bagru, Bassi, Bais Godam, Bindyaka, Dudu, Hirawala, Jetpura, Jhotwara, Kaladera, Kanakpura, Kartarpura, Malviya Nagar, Phulera, Renwal, Sanganer, Shahpura, Sitapura, Sudarshanpur and Vishwakarma). Jaipur is soon planned to have an International Convention Centre and a Golf course. A film city near Agra highway is also in the pipeline.[citation needed]
[edit] Tourism
Jantar Mantar attracts thousands of tourists every year.
Amber Fort
Tourism is important sector of the city's economy
The Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur
Albert hall
Hawa Mahal
Lakshmi-Narayan Temple
The Jal Mahal
Rambagh Palace
Maharaja Palace Jaipur
Jaipur is a very famous tourist and education destination in India. Lots of people flock to Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which reflect its glorious past. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipur's economy. Some of the world's best hotels are located here. Major facilities and infrastructure development are expected to increase the number of tourists visiting Jaipur. The city provides opportunities for niche tourism like Dental tourism.[8] Tourism contributes a significant amount to Jaipur's income.
[edit] Forts & Monuments
Jaipur has a number of forts and monuments like Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Jal Mahal, Rambagh Palace, Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)
[edit] Temples
The landscape of Jaipur is dotted with numerous temples. One can find temples in almost every street. It is because of the numerous temples, and religiosity among people that it is sometimes also known as Chhoti Kashi. Some of the famous temples in Jaipur include Govind Dev Ji Temple, Galtaji, Birla Temple (also known as Lakshmi Narayan Mandir), Garh Ganesh Temple, Shila Devi Temple in Amber, Chamtkareshwer Mahadev, Panchayati Hall,Radha Govind Ji Temple.
[edit] Gardens
The city is doted with beautiful gardens and parks. Prominent among them are Ram Niwas Garden, Sisodia Rani Garden and Palace, Vidyadhar Garden, Kanak Vrindavan, Central Park, Jawahar Circle Garden, Technology Park in Mansarover, Vidyadhar ka Bagh in Goner.
Other places of interest include Chand Baori (stepwell), Chokhi Dhani (a village resort), Kathputhli slum a Jaipur slum, Raj Mandir Cinema (a beautiful cinema hall).
[edit] Demographics
[show]Jaipur population
Census Pop. %±
1981 1,015,200
—
1991 1,518,200 49.5%
2001 2,322,575 53.0%
Est. 2013 5,000,000 115.3%
Source: Census of India[9]
As of 2001 India census,[10] Jaipur Municipal Corporation area had a population of 2,322,575. The Jaipur District had a population of 5,251,071 with 2,768,203 males and 2,482,868 females marking a 35.10% increase in population since 1991. While 50.63% people lived in rural areas, 49.36% lived in urban areas. The overall literacy rate for the district was 69.80%. 82.80% males and 55.52% females were literate. The sex ratio was 897 (females per 1000 males).The major religion is Hinduism. Muslims and Jains also form a sizable chunk of the population.[11]
Hindi and Rajasthani are the most common language for communication. English, Punjabi,Sindhi are also widely spoken.According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report of 2009, Jaipur ranks 3rd in the list of 35 Indian cities with a population of more than 10 lakh in the crime rate.[12] City's main jail is Jaipur Central Jail.
[edit] Culture
Jawahar Kala Kendra, designed by Charles Correa, in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Jaipur is a hotspot for culture. Cultural Centres like Jawahar Kala Kendra and Ravindra Manch have helped promote the unique culture of the state of Rajasthan. Albert Hall Museum (Government Central Museum) hosts several arts and antiquities. There is a Government Museum at Hawa Mahal, an art gallery at Viratnagar. Jaipur also hosts the Numismatic Section, Directorate. The Town Hall (Old Vidhan Sabha Bhawan) is slated to be converted into a museum. There are figurines depicting various forms of Rajasthani culture along various parts of the city. The city also decorated its flyovers with different interesting themes.
[edit] Arts and Crafts
The rulers of Jaipur patronized a number of arts and crafts. They invited skilled artisans, artists and craftsmen from India and abroad. The different communities settled in various parts of city and made Jaipur their home. As a result, Jaipur is a major hub for various kinds of arts and crafts. Some of the crafts include Bandhani; Block printing; Stone carving and Sculpture; Tarkashi; Zari, Gota, Kinari and Zardozi; Silver Jewellery; Gems, Kundan, Meenakari and Jewellery; Miniature paintings; Blue Pottery; Ivory carving; Shellac work; Leatherware, etc.
[edit] Performing Arts
Jaipur also has its own performing arts. The Jaipur Gharana of Kathak is a notable example. Others include Tamasha.
[edit] Cuisine
The city has a very delectable cuisine. Some of the local dishes have become world-famous names. Typical dishes include Dal Baati Churma, Missi Roti. Sweet dishes include Ghevar, Feeni, Chauguni ke laddu, Mohan Thal.[13]
[edit] Festivals
A number of festivals are organized in the city at various time of the year. Some of them include Gangaur Festival, Jaipur Literature Festival, Kite festival, Teej festival, Shitla Mata Fair, Chaksu Fair, Elephant Fair.[14]
[edit] Sports
Polo, Cricket, Tennis, Badminton, Kabaddi are the most popular sports in the city. Sawai Mansingh Stadium having a seating capacity of 30,000 has hosted many national and international cricket matches. Besides cricket, the sports complex has excellent sports facilities for various indoor and outdoor sports. Many international badminton and tennis tournaments have happened here. The city is also represented in the IPL by the team Rajasthan Royals. The Polo Club caters to Polo lovers. Jai Club and other clubs throughout city provide facilities for other sports. Most of the schools have excellent sports facilities for ball games such as cricket,football,tennis,basketball,hockey,etc...
[edit] Education
Recently, Jaipur has become a developed centre for education. The city is very peaceful and many north Indian families prefer to send their offspring to Jaipur for higher and technical education. Jaipur has more than 60 Engineering colleges, 40 Business management institutes, 15 Pharmacy Institutes, 4 hotel management Institutes, 3 Medical colleges and 6 Dental colleges. It also has 8 universities including the Rajasthan University. Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur and The LNM Institute of Information Technology, Jaipur ( Deemed University ) are one of the best technical institutes in India. The city is also home to more than 250 schools affiliated with CBSE and ICSE.
[edit] Media
Newspapers in Jaipur include Hindi dailies as Rajasthan Patrika, Dainik Bhaskar, Navbharat Times, and English dailies such as The Times of India, The Economic Times, The Hindustan Times, The Hindu, etc. The state-owned All India Radio Jaipur is broadcast both on the Medium Wave and FM bands in the city.It competes with six private local FM stations—Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz), Radio City (91.1 MHz), My FM (94.3 MHz), Radio Tadka 95 FM (95.0 MHz), Gyan Vaani (105.6 MHz) and South Asia FM (Red FM) (93.5 MHz). The city also has a community FM channel in FM Radio 7 by India International School Institutional Network. The public broadcaster Doordarshan (Prasar Bharati) provide a regional channel besides the mainstay channels. DTH is gaining popularity over private cable operators for telivision viewing. The city's telephone services are provided by landline and mobile operators such as BSNL, Reliance CDMA & Reliance GSM, Airtel, MTS, Uninor, Tata Docomo, Aircel, Vodafone, Idea and Tata Indicom.
[edit] Transport
Jaipur Kishangarh Express Way
[edit] Road
The city of Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan and is centrally located. National Highway No.8 links Delhi to Mumbai, National Highway No.12 links to Kota and National Highway No.11 links Bikaner to Agra, passing through Jaipur district with a total length of 366 km. The total length of different types of roads in the district was approximately 4,102 km in March 2000.RSRTC operates bus service to all the parts of Rajasthan and New delhi, Uttar pradesh, Haryana, Madhya pradesh.Bus service is operated from Sindhi camp, Jawahar nagar bus stand, Durgapura bus stand, Sodala bus stand.
Jaipur International Airport
[edit] City Bus
City buses are operated by Jaipur City transport Services Limited (JCSTL)[15] of RSRTC under JNNURM. The total number of city buses being operated stands more than 300. It includes both regular buses and low-floor buses. There are 3 bus depots Vaishali Nagar, vidyadhar nagar and Sanganer.The city bus service covers whole city. A Hop on Hop off Bus Service is also proposed for tourists.[16]
[edit] Jaipur BRTS
Main article: Jaipur BRTS
Jaipur Bus Rapid Transit Service was approved by government in August 2006 for implementation.[17] The responsibility for managing Jaipur BRTS has been given to JCSTL, a Special Pupose Vehicle formed by Jaipur Development Authority and Jaipur Nagar Nigam in a joint venture.[17] The BRTS is expected to cater to city's growing traffic for next 15-20 years. In Phase I, two corridors have been proposed.[17]
* Sikar Road to Tonk Road - North-South Corridor
* Ajmer Road to Delhi Road - East-West Corridor
A section of North-South Corridoor from C-Zone Bypass near Harmada to Pani Pech became operational in 2010.[17]
[edit] Rail
Jaipur Railway Station is the headquarters of the North Western Railway zone of the Indian Railways. It has direct trains on the broad gauge network to all major cities in Rajasthan and India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Kota, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Gandhinagar, Pune, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Nagpur, Raipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Patna, Trivendrum etc. and metre gauge network to Sri Ganganagar, Churu and Sikar. One of India's most famous and luxurious trains The Palace on Wheels, also makes a scheduled stop in Jaipur.
[edit] Jaipur Metro
Main article: Jaipur Metro
Am ambitious rapid transit rail project by the name Jaipur Metro is under progress. It will provide means of faster commutation for the city residents. It is expected to be operational by 2014.
[edit] Air
Main article: Jaipur Airport
Jaipur International Airport is situated in its satellite town of Sanganer, at a distance of 10 km from city center and offers sporadic service to major domestic and international locations. The Terminal 1 is used for both international and domestic flights, while Terminal 2 is reserved for domestic carriers. The airport handled 255704 international and 1267876 passengers in 2009-2010.[18] Jaipur Airport also provides air cargo services. The up-gradation of airport has offered improved connectivity and wider choice of services to air travellers, boosting both international tourism and economic development of the region. Frequently, during winter, many flights for Indira Gandhi International Airport are diverted to Jaipur airport due to heavy fog in Delhi.[19]