India
Chandigarh
Chandigarh, the capital city shared between the two north Indian states of Punjab and Haryana is built to the blueprint of a prosperous, modern India and famed for its neatly laid out residential blocks, grid-planned roads and numerous gardens. Originally designed for a population of just half a million, the city is located between two seasonal streams, the Patiala ki Rao and the Sukhna Choe. The Shivalik range forms a spectacular backdrop to the city.Though Haryana was promised a separate capital city, so far both the administrations continue to function from Chandigarh. Over the past 40 years, the city has grown substantially, with land prices shooting up fast.Though frequented mostly by visitors en route to the hill state of Himachal Pradesh or other towns in Punjab, Chandigarh itself has some interesting sites worth visiting. The city also has many critics, who dub it a concrete jungle with huge building blocks unsuited to Indian weather conditions. However, it certainly is a landmark in modern town planning, with sprawling boulevards, neatly planned blocks of houses, green stretches and parklands.