Where Do the Rich Live in Delhi? Lutyens' Delhi and the Top-Graded Colonies
Delhi's richest households are concentrated in two places: the bungalows of Lutyens' Delhi in the centre, and a ring of older colonies in south Delhi. The plainest way to see which colonies are at the top is the Delhi government's own grading of colonies for circle rates, the minimum value at which a property can be registered. This page uses that grading, and the facts on record about Lutyens' Delhi.
A correction. An earlier version of this page gave price ranges that did not agree with each other (Rs 30 to 500 crore in one place, "above 500 crore" in another, a bungalow "recently sold for 400-600 crore" with no date or source), called Khan Market "the highest priced retail street in the planet", and listed Gurgaon projects under "featured properties in Delhi". Those claims are gone.
Lutyens' Delhi: the bungalow zone
The Lutyens' Bungalow Zone (LBZ) covers about 26 sq km in central Delhi and has about 1,000 bungalows. Most of the land belongs to the government, which gives its bungalows to the Prime Minister, ministers and MPs as official homes. Only about 254.5 acres are privately owned, and fewer than one in ten bungalows is in private hands, so very few ever come up for sale.
The colonies Delhi grades highest
For circle rates, Delhi's revenue department puts every colony in a category from A to H, with A the costliest. Category A colonies carry a land rate of Rs 7.74 lakh per sq m, three times category B.
| Category | Land rate (per sq m) | Residential colonies in it (examples) |
|---|---|---|
| A | Rs 7.74 lakh | Golf Links, Sunder Nagar, Vasant Vihar, Shanti Niketan, Anand Niketan, Maharani Bagh, New Friends Colony, Friends Colony East and West, Kalindi Colony, Panchshila Park |
| B | Rs 2.46 lakh | Defence Colony, Greater Kailash I to IV, Hauz Khas, Green Park, Gulmohar Park, Safdarjung Enclave, Panchsheel Park, Neeti Bagh, Anand Lok, Nizamuddin East, Sarvapriya Vihar |
A circle rate is a floor for registration, not the market price. In these colonies the market price is far above it. Check the current rate for any colony on the Delhi government's e-property portal before you rely on it, as the rates are revised from time to time.
Before you buy in one of them
- Check the title chain. Many of these houses have passed through families for decades. Ask a lawyer to trace the title, and check whether the land is freehold or still leasehold.
- Check what may be built. If you plan to rebuild, check the plot's permitted floors and coverage with the local body before you pay.
- Pay stamp duty on the right value. Stamp duty in Delhi is charged on the deal value or the circle-rate value, whichever is higher.
For the same question about the city next door, see where billionaires live in Gurgaon.