'Doesn't Feel Like India': British Architect Praises Chandigarh's Urban Planning And Cleanliness

A British architect has caught social media's attention after claiming that Chandigarh did not 'feel like India' during his recent trip to the city. In an Instagram video titled, 'First impressions Chandigarh,' the user named Russell Henderson, was amazed by how organised and chaos-free the city was while walking down wide, pristine pavements completely free of litter and rubbish.

Currently based in Tanzania after working in the UK, Thailand, and Australia, Henderson was captivated by a side of India foreigners rarely see online.

"First impressions, look at this. Do you really think this is a city in India? It is crazy. This is nothing like anything you'd expect in India, really. low how organised this city is," said Henderson.

"You've got double road traffic here, double road traffic there. Look at that, bicycle signs there. In India, I've never seen that before, really."

The architect pointed out that the city's urban planning guarantees it will remain congestion-free for the foreseeable future.

"Bicycles, pedestrians, perfect. As you can see, it's a very well-planned city. Lots of space, no congestion whatsoever. Lots of parking, lots of roads," he said.

"I mean, it'll continue to be uncongested for years to come, I think. It's completely clean and safe. I mean, I'm walking around with my camera all day and at night. But I mean, look how clean it is. I can't see any rubbish anywhere."

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'Best Place To Live'

As the post gained traction, social media users praised Henderson for showing the positive side of India, with some claiming that Chandigarh was the best place to live in the country.

"Proud to be a Chandigarh citizen," said one user, while another added: "You're walking in the heart of the city, it used to be lively 20 years back, but now it's just building with the government offices around, not so happening anymore. Thanks for visiting Chandigarh, hope you had/have a great time here."

A third commented: "Chandigarh's probably the best place to live in the country, the housing market of the city reflects that (on average more expensive than Mumbai/Delhi). Zoning is heavily regulated. Leads the country in most municipal policy and practices.

A fourth said: "Locals walk in Chandigarh, we cycle, we don't litter and throw trash in public, we are mostly in parks after 6pm or early in the morning. The reason it has no rubbish is because it's a small city which gets a good budget from central govt. to maintain the city and it's a shared capital of two states (punjab and haryana) which means all the big govt. Offices of both states are here."

Chandigarh, The City Beautiful

Designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in the 1950s, Chandigarh boasts of a modern infrastructure featuring wide boulevards, tree-lined avenues, and neighbourhoods called "sectors" that are basically mini-towns in themselves.

Chandigarh offers numerous tourist hotspots, including Sukhna Lake, the Rose Garden, and the Rock Garden. The ideal time to explore these sites is between October and March, when the weather is pleasantly breezy and perfect for outdoor activities like park picnics or rooftop dinners.