Dhaula Kuan

Bus terminal at Dhaula Kuan.

Dhaula Kuan (Hindi: धौला कुआँ) is a major intersection of roads in Delhi, India. The name also now refers to the neighborhood surrounding the intersection. It lies in South West Delhi.

Intersection

Dhaula Kuan fly-overs

Five major throughfares in Delhi meet at Dhaula Kuan. Passing through the intersection are the Ring Road and National Highway 8, which feed traffic around Delhi and from Central Delhi to Gurgaon, and points south and southwest, respectively. National Highway 8 is also the primary route of traffic from Delhi to Delhi Airport.

A major infrastructure project during the 1990s and early 2000s lead to the construction of a figure-eight interchange that eliminated stop lights and improved traffic flow.

In addition to being a major road hub, Dhaula Kuan is also a primary stop on the Delhi Ring Railway and will be the location of a Delhi Metro stop when construction is completed on the Connaught Place - Airport line.

Currently, Dhaula Kuan serves as a primary exchange point for multimodal travellers, and its importance is expected to grow as the Delhi Metro and Terminal 3 at Delhi Airport is constructed.

History

The name Dhaula Kuan, means white well in Hindi,^[1] (just as Dhaulagiri means white mountain), and refers to an ancient water well in the area that has white-colored sand. It has been speculated that the well was constructed by Shah Alam II, the nominal Mughal emperor of India in the 1761-1806 CE period, whose actual area of control spanned a small territory in the environs of Delhi. Shah Alam II is said to have been fond of excursions across his limited domain, from the Red Fort to the Palam area, leading to the sarcastic verse, Az Dilli ta Palam, Badshah Shah Alam (From Delhi to Palam, Shah Alam is Emperor).^[2] Dhaula Kuan (the well) is located along this route, and its masonry has been dated to the Shah Alam period.^[1]

Neighborhood

'Dhaula Kuan' has now also come to refer to the neighborhood that surrounds and serves the interchange. The latter includes both small scale industry and restaurants.

Dhaula Kuan sits between Chanakyapuri and the Delhi Cantonment; the former is an affluent neighborhood that is home to a number of embassies and the latter houses a number of military personnel and their families.

Major institutions and points of interest in the neighborhood include:

• The South Campus of the University of Delhi, including the Sri Venkateswara College and the Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College.
• The Army Public School.
• The Air Force Auditorium.
• The Army Golf Course.
• Springdales School

Metro

Dhaula Kuan Metro Station is located on the Delhi Airport Express Line of the Delhi Metro. This station will be the only elevated one along the Airport Express Line and will feature check-in facilities. This station has been opened for public for the first time on Independence Day, Monday 15.08.2011.

External links

• A view of Dhaula Kuan on Google Maps[1].

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "From Dhaula Kuan to Delhi Gate", The Hindu, 2007-01-15, http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/01/15/stories/2007011500720200.htm, retrieved 2009-11-17, "... passing by Dhaula Kuan roundabout ... a well nearby which lends its name to this landmark of Delhi ... the road going to Palam airport ... the sand that comes with the well water is white ... is the reason why the well is called "Dhaula" ..." 
2. ^ Henry Sharp (1921), Delhi: Its story and buildings, Oxford University Press, http://books.google.com/books?id=gNhKAAAAMAAJ, "... Az Delhi ta Palam, Badshah-i-Shah Alam. Palam is a village ten miles out of Delhi ..."