With reference to the historical and colonial development of Delhi, consider the following statements: 1. The village of Raisina was displaced during the construction of New Delhi in 1911. 2. The settlement of Kanjhawala was established as a revenue survey in 1837. 3. The British East India Company defeated the Maratha army to control Delhi in 1803. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

British East India Company defeated Maratha army to control Delhi in 1803

GS1History · Society · Geography· Modern India & freedom struggle· Mains· 2 October 2026

Colonial land tenure and urban planning: a GS1 History and GS1 Geography case study on socio-spatial transformation.

Why in news

Historical records and contemporary arguments highlight the transition of Delhi from Maratha control to British colonial land classification and modern urban expansion.

Background

The British East India Company defeated the Maratha army to control Delhi on September 11, 1803. Colonial records from 1837 revenue surveys and an 1880 settlement of Kanjhawala replaced customary rights with systematic land classification.

Facts for Prelims

FactBritish East India Company defeated the Maratha army to control Delhi on September 11, 1803
PlaceKanjhawala: Site of an 1880 settlement and revenue survey
PlaceRaisina: Village displaced during the construction of New Delhi in 1911

Prelims practice question

With reference to the historical and colonial development of Delhi, consider the following statements:

The village of Raisina was displaced during the construction of New Delhi in 1911.
The settlement of Kanjhawala was established as a revenue survey in 1837.
The British East India Company defeated the Maratha army to control Delhi in 1803.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 and 2 only
(b)1 and 3 only
(c)2 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

Show answer

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only — Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect: The Kanjhawala settlement and revenue survey occurred in 1880.

For Mains

Q. Analyze how colonial land revenue systems and urban planning in Delhi reshaped the socio-spatial fabric of the region from the 19th century to the present.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Land tenure shift: Replacement of customary rights with systematic colonial land classification
Urban displacement: Erasure of rural village identities like Raisina during New Delhi's construction
Historical continuity: Preservation of Delhi Dehat as a living historical and future urban space

Keywords: Colonial land tenure · Revenue survey · Urban expansion · Customary rights · Socio-spatial fabric

Read the full news →Source: The Hindu ↗Also: GS1 · Urbanisation

More History & Culture notes

Supreme Court reprimands MCD and ASI for failing to clear Zamrudpur heritage encroachments · 8 October 2026
Manipur CM cites historical hill outreach to promote peace amid 300 deaths · 7 October 2026
Zehanpora Buddhist complex faces collapse by 2050 due to erosion, study finds · 6 October 2026
President Droupadi Murmu honors Basanth Peringode for Keralam mural paintings at Rashtrapati Bhavan · 6 October 2026
ASI Hyderabad Circle begins ₹1 crore restoration of Dwarapala sculptures at Thousand Pillar Temple · 6 October 2026
Rammohan Naidu announces ₹55.74 crore development for Arasavalli Sri Suryanarayana Swamy temple · 5 October 2026

All History & Culture current affairs →

This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.