Interesting facts

1. Chandigarh is a Union Territory, meaning it is directly administered by the Central Government of India. 2. It serves as the joint capital for two neighboring states: Punjab and Haryana. 3. It was the first planned city in post-independence India. 4. The master plan was designed by the famous Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier in the 1950s. 5. The city's original plan did not have a 'Sector 13' due to Le Corbusier's superstition regarding the number (though the area of Manimajra was recently renamed Sector 13 by modern administration). 6. The Rock Garden of Chandigarh was secretly built over 18 years by Nek Chand, a government inspector, using urban and industrial waste. 7. Sukhna Lake is a completely man-made rain-fed lake created in 1958 by damming the Sukhna Choe. 8. The Capitol Complex in Sector 1 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2016. 9. The Open Hand Monument is the official emblem of the city, symbolizing "peace and reconciliation" and being "open to give and open to receive." 10. Chandigarh consistently ranks as having one of the highest per capita incomes in India. 11. The city's tree plantation strategy was meticulously planned by Dr. M.S. Randhawa, ensuring avenues have distinct floral aesthetics. 12. Commercial and residential areas are strictly segregated, with most sectors having their own localized V4 shopping streets. 13. There is a strict ban on installing personal or political statues in public parks and roundabouts, as per Le Corbusier's original edict. 14. Chandigarh is part of a "Tricity" alongside its satellite cities, Mohali (in Punjab) and Panchkula (in Haryana). 15. Zakir Hussain Rose Garden in Sector 16 is one of the largest of its kind in Asia, featuring over 1,600 different species of roses. 16. The city's roads are classified from V1 (arterial roads) to V7 (pedestrian paths), known as the 7Vs system. 17. Chandigarh's Sector 17 Plaza is designed as a pedestrian paradise and is the primary civic center and commercial hub. 18. The city hosts an annual Mango Festival at Pinjore Gardens (nearby) and an annual Rose Festival in February. 19. It has an extensive network of dedicated cycle tracks spanning over 200 kilometers. 20. The Government Museum and Art Gallery houses one of the largest collections of Gandharan sculptures and Pahari miniature paintings.