Time stood still in Delhi Cantonment. At least that’s how it felt to Lieutenant General (retd) Rajendra Ramrao Nimbhorkar. He remembered arriving in 1979. The Delhi Cantonment was a different world then. Isolated and peaceful.
Delhi Cantonment wasn’t just any neighborhood. Established by the British in 1914 it was a carefully planned community. It housed the Indian Army’s Delhi Area headquarters. Many important defense facilities are located there. The Directorate of General Defence Estates and the Controller General of Defence Accounts are just two examples. The Delhi Cantonment wasn’t just a military base. It was a thriving residential area too.
Life in Delhi Cantonment in the 1980s was slower. Public transport was scarce. Taxis to the cantonment were few. This isolation fostered a unique sense of community. It created peaceful quiet unlike the rest of Delhi. The core area with its tidy roads and shady trees hasn’t changed much. Immaculate sidewalks and vast open spaces still exist. The military precision of its landscaping still impresses.
St Martin’s Church stands as a testament to this history. Built in 1929 using 3.5 million locally sourced bricks it is a stunning example of Indo-British architecture. Nearby the Delhi War Cemetery commemorates nearly 1000 Commonwealth soldiers. Delhi Cantonment is not without its modern conveniences. The Delhi Metro’s Shankar Vihar station is within the cantonment. However civilian access is restricted.
The Delhi Cantonment covers 10452 acres. It’s a place where military order and civilian life exist side by side. The contrast is stark. The orderly core area is a world away from chaotic markets like Gopinath Bazar and Sadar Bazar. This difference is perhaps why authorities rarely consider the Delhi Cantonment as a unified whole. The Delhi Cantonment’s story is one of contrasts. It’s a story of peace and chaos tradition and modernity. It’s a story that continues to unfold.