India's 20 most sought-after cities
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Indian cities are getting more crowded as people continue to migrate in search of better prospects.
Even as cities lack infrastructural facilities for a rising population, there are 53 cities in India with a population of over 1 million as of 2011.
Here's a list of 20 cities bursting with people...
1. New Delhi
Population: 22 million, according to the new Census data.
The national capital territory of Delhi (NCT) is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, after Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population.
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Image: Spectators wait in the stands after the fifth one-day international cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
Photographs: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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2. Mumbai
Population: 21 million, according to the new Census data.
It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world. The financial hub of India, Mumbai attracts people from all over India.
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Image: Devotees carry a statue of the Hindu elephant god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity.
Photographs: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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3. Kolkata
Population: 14.2 million
Kolkata is the third-most populous metropolitan area in India and the 13th-most populous urban area in the world. Kolkata is also classified as the eighth-largest urban agglomeration in the world.
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Image: Hindu devotees worship the Sun god on the banks of the river Ganges on the occasion of Chhat Puja in Kolkata.
Photographs: Jayanta Shaw/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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4. Chennai
Population: 13.68 million
Chennai has the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India.
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Image: Villagers chase a bull during a bull-taming festival.
Photographs: Babu/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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5. Bangalore
Population: 8.7 million
Bangalore is India's third most populous city and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration. Bangalore is well known as a hub for India's information technology sector.
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Image: A fan waves the Indian national flag before the ICC Cricket World Cup group B match between India and Ireland in Bangalore.
Photographs: Vivek Prakash/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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6. Hyderabad
Population: 7.7 million
Hyderabad is one of the largest metropolitan cities in the country. It is the fourth most populous city and the sixth-most populous urban agglomeration in India.
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Image: Cricket fans with their faces painted with the Indian and Pakistani national flags pose as they engage in a tug-of-war for a replica of the Cricket World Cup trophy in Hyderabad.
Photographs: Krishnendu Halder/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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7. Ahmedabad
Population: 6.4 million
Ahmedabad is the financial capital of Gujarat. It is the fifth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area in India. In 2010, Forbes magazine rated Ahmedabad as the fastest-growing city in India.
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Image: Dancers dressed in traditional attire pose after taking part in rehearsals for the Garba in Ahmedabad.
Photographs: Amit Dave/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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8. Patna
Population: 5.7 million
Patna, capital of Bihar is also one of the most populated cities in India.
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Image: Passengers travel in an overcrowded train in Patna.
Photographs: Krishna Murari Kishan/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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9. Pune
Population: 5.5 million
The eighth largest metropolis in India, Pune is also the second largest city in Maharashtra.
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Image: Pune.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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10. Surat
Population: 4.5 million
Surat is India's one of India's top 10 populous urban agglomerations. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India.
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Image: Surat.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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11. Lucknow
Population: 4.8 million
Lucknow has always been a multicultural city, and flourished as a cultural and artistic capital of North India in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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Image: People travel on a crowded passenger train in Lucknow.
Photographs: Pawan Kumar/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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12. Nagpur
Population: 4.6 million
Nagpur, the largest city in central India, is the third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune. Nagpur is the 9th largest urban conglomeration in India.
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Image: Nagpur airport.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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13. Ghaziabad
Population: 3.3 million
Ghaziabad is a planned industrial city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a large industrial city well-connected by roads and railways.
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Image: Indian Air Force sky divers parachute at Hindon airport in Ghaziabad.
Photographs: Adnan Abidi/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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14. Jaipur
Population: 3.11 million
The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is one of the finest planned cities of India.
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Image: A vendor plays a flute as he tries to attract people to buy flutes in front of Hawa Mahal.
Photographs: Krishnendu Halder/Reuters.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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15. Kanpur
Population: 2.9 million
Kanpur is the tenth largest city of India in area. It is one of the oldest industrial townships in North India.
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Image: Kanpur.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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16. Coimbatore
Population: 2.15 million
Coimbatore is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the 'Manchester of South India'.
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Image: Coimbatore.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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17. Kochi
Population: 2.11 million
Kochi is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. Kochi is the second largest city in India.
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Image: Kochi.
India's 20 most sought-after cities
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18. Indore
Population: 2 million
The largest city in Madhya Pradesh, Indore is also known as 'Mini Mumbai' due to its diverse population.
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Image: Indore.
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