My wife and I are litigation lawyers and are new to Delhi. We were researching nice, green neighborhoods (within Delhi only), and in that Civil Lines popped out. It’s an unusual choice - sure, but it doesn’t look like a cluttered, Dukaan neighbourhood like Janpura, Defence Colony, Lajpat, or Amar Colony. Are there any residents who can throw light on the cost of living expenses there and travel time to DHC with the new Pragati Maidan Tunnel?
I am one of the residents of civil lines for 200% you will love the place too quite all markets nearbuy chandi chowk, CP to visit DHc it takes around 25 min by car.
Kejriwal also lives in civil lines And other cabinet ministers for 100% police protection
have dedicated metro stations and people are old-schooled will help each other
but civil lines is slightly on the higher side ( price-wise )
Most of your neighbors will speak like "CL residence" It'll make you sick and desperate to check out and move into a Dukaan neighborhood like Defence Colony. ROFL!
P.S. The greenery in Civil Lines benefits only those with bungalows. If you reside in an apartment complex and think there are plenty of public parks to choose from, you're sadly mistaken. There are two major public parks in the Civil Lines area:
1. The Ridge/Bonta (as people from CL would call it) - rife with monkeys and unsafe after 10 AM.
2. Qudsia Bagh - unsafe and frequented by Laila Majnus from Shahadra village and beyond openly doing activities at 8-9 AM. The park is littered with numerous nirodh boxes - which will leave you wondering!!
The truth about Civil Lines is this - it WAS a neighborhood of the old aristocratic class. 99.99% of them checked out eons ago. Some old and extremely affluent Baniya and Punjabi families are scattered here and there - most of which are on their way out. The only ones left are those with properties stuck in litigation or not well-off enough to move into something nearly as good in South Delhi/the suburbs. As of now, the only people moving into Civil Lines are mid/lower-tier old Delhi traders who have work in Old Delhi. Sure, the drop in demand coupled with cheap property rates is an opportunity for lawyers, but you'll find yourself isolated from almost all your friends. Plus, you'll be far from all the preferred, new-age good schools - a significant problem. Civil Lines is an oasis surrounded by the worst of Delhi from all sides. Not recommended at all. Avoid.
The only spiffed-up spots in Civil Lines are where the LG and CM reside, along with their neighboring areas. Sadly, the rest of Civil Lines is a bit of a letdown. Rough surrounding neighborhoods and slums (which happen to be the worst in Delhi) are cause of traffic and law and order issues in this area. The affordable property rates don't do much to lure folks in because, for the same cash, you could snag a sweet pad with all the bells and whistles in Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, or Ghaziabad. Plus, the modern schools in those suburbs make them way more appealing than the worn-out scene in Civil Lines.
Those obviously are better addresses, Sherlock! I am looking for Sunder Nagar, Golf Links, Jor Bagh benefits at Amar Colony/ Jangpura rent, and cost of living expenses within the city.
The circle rates for Civil Lines are on par with Lajpat. It's a Category C address. The bungalow owners are old-rich, and their properties fetch a hefty sum because they are at least 1/2 acre to 1-acre plots. The apartments in Civil Lines are all illegal constructions. The Delhi Master Plan, foolishly conceived as it is, designates Civil Lines as a bungalow zone. Hence, you can only legally construct 50% of a plot there, and that too only up to two floors. None of the apartment complexes in Civil Lines meet this criteria, and hence the apartments there sell super cheap because the paperwork for all these flats are full of SHIT. The local builders in Civil Lines have passed off ground-floor apartments as basements and gotten away with illegally building three full floors. Lackluster demand in this area has held back redevelopment activity, and the builders in this area are mediocre at best. Rentals in Civil Lines are on par with Amar Colony, perhaps lower. The gentry in Civil Lines is really bad. You just have to visit any of the restaurants/pubs there to realize that it's not what the old-timers advertise it to be. Avoid Civil Lines. It's a deadbeat address.
If you the money, go for it. It is the poshest address on the North Delhi side and barely a 20 minute drive from DHC on most days. On Tuesdays you will encounter a 30-40 minute drive back due to Marghat waale baba temple traffic.
Don't even think of staying there. Don't believe what you read on the internet. The place stinks, with dumpyards everywhere and stinky areas. Stray dogs are a menace. Landlords are bullies. Several shanties next to the area, which has also affected the crime there. Stay away.
Very Good call, bro! How did none of us think not this and settle for Amar Colony/ Vasant Kunj!!? You should move into this house in Civil Lines and live a wholesome family life-
I like how our idea of luxury is getting a bungalow at a place that is bereft of any poverty - wake up and smell the coffee/rum - india is not what you see in movies - people are struggling to make ends meet and living near a shanty/slum sure doesn't make your statute droop - f* people who think this way honestly.
As I said in my comment 'Don't believe what you read on the internet'. The rest of the comment was all made up as I've never been to Civil Lines. It was a subtle dig at the OP's pretentiousness, the sort which is very common in Delhi. I enjoyed this. 🤣
Bear in mind that Civil Lines got completely submerged in polluted Yamuna water last year. Residents affected had to crash at hotels and Airbnbs for a week since the electricity and water supply were cut off for safety. Avoid and move to Amar Colony or East Delhi.
Hey, think twice before packing up just for that shiny new tunnel promising quicker travel. Eventually, it's gonna be just like every other congested spot in the city. Civil Lines used to be the ultimate address in Delhi ages ago, but it's not the hotspot it once was, and there's probably a good reason for that shift. Trust me, I've been there a few times, and the traffic you have to battle, especially on Tuesdays, is nothing short of a nightmare.
Kejriwal also lives in civil lines And other cabinet ministers for 100% police protection
have dedicated metro stations and people are old-schooled will help each other
but civil lines is slightly on the higher side ( price-wise )
P.S. The greenery in Civil Lines benefits only those with bungalows. If you reside in an apartment complex and think there are plenty of public parks to choose from, you're sadly mistaken. There are two major public parks in the Civil Lines area:
1. The Ridge/Bonta (as people from CL would call it) - rife with monkeys and unsafe after 10 AM.
2. Qudsia Bagh - unsafe and frequented by Laila Majnus from Shahadra village and beyond openly doing activities at 8-9 AM. The park is littered with numerous nirodh boxes - which will leave you wondering!!
The truth about Civil Lines is this - it WAS a neighborhood of the old aristocratic class. 99.99% of them checked out eons ago. Some old and extremely affluent Baniya and Punjabi families are scattered here and there - most of which are on their way out. The only ones left are those with properties stuck in litigation or not well-off enough to move into something nearly as good in South Delhi/the suburbs. As of now, the only people moving into Civil Lines are mid/lower-tier old Delhi traders who have work in Old Delhi. Sure, the drop in demand coupled with cheap property rates is an opportunity for lawyers, but you'll find yourself isolated from almost all your friends. Plus, you'll be far from all the preferred, new-age good schools - a significant problem. Civil Lines is an oasis surrounded by the worst of Delhi from all sides. Not recommended at all. Avoid.
Is it?
https://youtu.be/jC52V9DGoTg?si=copx-eiJSR9G5_fR
https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-3892-d8tzeh/civil-lines-new-delhi-dl