Educate Yourselves About This Council That Is Entirely Responsible For The Capital's Beautification

The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is one of the three civic bodies that govern municipal operations in the city of Delhi, the other two being the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB). Only about 3% of the total area of Delhi comes under NDMC administration.

NDMC mainly covers an area of 43.7 sq kms of what is known as Lutyens’ Delhi, after the famous British Architect Edwin Lutyens who, during 1912-1930, designed most of the capital city of New Delhi which is now the seat of the Government of India.

The council traces its origins back to the Imperial Delhi Committee that was created on 25^th March, 1913 as a central authority to control the construction and management of the new city. In February 1916 the Raisina Delhi Committee was formed by the Chief Commissioner of Delhi, which was upgraded to a second class municipality in April 1925 under the Punjab Municipal Act. 

NDMC's Origin

In February 1927, the committee was rechristened as the New Delhi Municipal Committee and was upgraded to a first class municipality in 1932. Further, in May 1994, the Punjab Municipal Act was replaced by the NDMC Act and the committee was renamed as the New Delhi Municipal Council, just as we know it today.

The NDMC head office, known as the Palika Kendra, is situated behind Jantar Mantar in Connaught Place (CP). A relatively unknown fact is that a small, tin-shed cinema hall known as "Tipness" had been built in the Palika Kendra’s spot, for the entertainment of the construction workers building the city of New Delhi in those days.

NDMC's Responsibilities

During the initial years of its operation, the committee was only meant to provide sanitation around the site of the construction of the new city. Over the next few years, its responsibilities grew to include administrative functions as well as functions related to sewers, buildings, roads and even public health schemes. Before long, the NDMC was also overlooking Water Supply and Electricity distribution within its area.

The NDMC today consists of 28 departments, including those of Civil Engineering, Accounts, Audit, Vigilance, Finance, Public Health, Horticulture, Education and Property Tax, to name a few. 

It has 11 members, including a chairperson appointed by the Government of India in consultation with the Chief Minister of Delhi, 3 members of the legislative assembly, 5 government officials and 2 non-government members to well-represent the general public. The NDMC has come a long way over the last century. It is solely responsible for the beautification of the city, sustainable management of its resources and provision of civic amenities and services to its residents. 

Given the fact that it serves the area where all the important administrative buildings of the Indian Government are, as well as where all the eminent personalities reside, the NDMC offers extremely high quality of service, as efficient functioning of the municipality in this area largely affect the country’s image. The council makes great efforts to maintain and enhance the charm and beauty of Lutyens' Delhi as it was originally intended to be by the makers.