Life and economy in India (off off Tokyo): Feb. 16-20, 2018

I visited India for the first time in 20 years. There are so many and big changes during the period. There also remain many things unchanged.

Most roads were ultra crowded in Old Delhi. I saw countless people there.

The roads were full of passengers, cars, three-wheel auto-rickshaws in yellow and green, cycle-rickshaws, bikes and dogs. Cows, horses and elephants sometimes joined. (See also the top and 2nd photos)

People as well as dogs were sleeping everywhere. It was not only at the sides of the roads, but also at the intersections.

Chandoni Chowk is a main commercial street of Old Delhi.

It starts from the Lal Qila (Red Fort) toward the west.

Thousands of shops are open along the street.

I saw the scene of Old Delhi from the top of Jama Masjid's tower.

The towns are massive, crowded, full of histories and gods and noisy.

There are many public toilets in the towns. The government says that improvement of toilet is one of essential challenges for people's better lives. I recognized it was correct.

The main bazar street near the New Delhi railway station was also crowded. (See also the top photo. It was taken here)

The situation in New Delhi, south of Old Delhi, is somewhat different. There are many messy places there, but there are also modern places.

The roads are wider in many places. There are many big buildings.

They have a wide road which connect the Indian gate and the President office. There is no congestion there, I found.

I saw people enjoying their times in the parks in New Delhi. Young couples as well as families enjoyed their holidays in a park in Connaught Place. Many women wore jeans and other modern clothes rather than traditional sari. I felt a rise of middle class from the scene.

I also saw people relaxing on the lawn between the Indian Gate and the presidential office. (See the 3rd photo from the top)

Gurgaon is a city which lies 30 kilometers southwest of Delhi. The city has developed as a new business and residential areas in the last two decades.

There are many big business buildings as well as residential apartments. There also run modern mass rapid transport systems.

Still, animals walk along such modern facilities. I saw camels walking under the MRT with cars and rikishaws.

Delhi's metro is modern and functional. The trains have electrical outlets inside. Many people were charging their smart phone batteries.

The airport line, which connects Indira Gandhi International airport and the city center, was comfortable.

The highways are also rapidly developing. I found big jams in the highways in and around Delhi.

The road was almost empty when I moved between Delhi and Agra on Sunday. The highway is huge.  

Agra, the city of Taji Mahal, lies about 250 km southeast of Delhi and is estimated to have more than 2 million people. There remain more old aspects there than in Delhi.

I found cows living with people even in the center of the city.

I also saw many open-air stalls along dusty roads.

I only visited Delhi and surrounding areas. The situations in other parts are surely to be quite different.

I felt just a little bit of India’s diversity and changes.