Choosing your moving date
The Punjab plains have extreme seasons. May and June are very hot at both ends, and a closed truck in that heat is hard on candles, medicines, cosmetics and electronics. From about December to January, dense fog settles over NH 44, often for hours after dawn, slowing trucks and sometimes holding them until it lifts.
October to November and February to March are usually the most comfortable windows. Plan around Gurpurabs and Diwali if you're loading near the Golden Temple, and book early in the winter wedding season, when crews and trucks are in demand across Punjab and Delhi.
Leaving Amritsar
If your home is inside the walled city, a full-size truck usually can't reach the door. The mover may bring a smaller vehicle, carry goods to the nearest point a truck can reach, or both, and an early start helps before the lanes fill. Homes in Ranjit Avenue, Green Avenue or along Lawrence Road usually have room for a truck, though gates and stairs still need checking.
Many Amritsar houses have two or three floors and heavy wooden furniture, almirahs and trunks. List them on the quote, with the floor and stair width.
Down NH 44
The road south-east passes Jalandhar, Phagwara, Ludhiana, Rajpura and Ambala before entering Haryana's stretch past Karnal and Panipat towards Delhi. It's a wide, busy highway with heavy freight, and the slowest part is usually the approach to Delhi itself.
At around 447 km, goods usually arrive within about 28 hours of dispatch. Ask whether your goods travel alone or in a shared truck, and agree the expected arrival on the quote.
Into Delhi, Gurugram or Noida
Delhi NCR is several cities with different rules. Heavy goods vehicles face daytime entry restrictions on many Delhi roads, so unloading in Delhi may be early in the morning or late in the evening. Societies in Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad usually ask for notice, permitted hours, a lift booking and sometimes a refundable deposit. Tell the mover which city and sector you're moving to, and share the building's rules before loading day.
Moving from an Amritsar house into an NCR flat usually means less space, so measure the new rooms and lift before you pack.
Prayer rooms, heirlooms and sacred books
Many Amritsar homes have a prayer room or corner with framed pictures, a Gutka Sahib or other sacred books, and family heirlooms that matter far more than their size. Many families prefer to carry sacred books themselves, wrapped respectfully, rather than pack them in cartons; tell the mover what you'd like to carry and what they should pack.
Photograph valuable furniture before it's wrapped, and keep jewellery, documents and cash with you.
Air quality and the first winter
If you arrive in Delhi NCR in late October or November, the air can be very poor for weeks, often worse than in Amritsar. Many families buy an air purifier for the bedroom and keep windows closed on the worst days, particularly for children and older relatives.
Delhi winters are cold too, so keep warm bedding and heaters in a carton that's unloaded first.
Settling in
Register with your society or RWA for parking and visitors on the first day, and find out how water, power backup and cooking gas work. Book internet as soon as you have the address. Punjabi is widely spoken in Delhi, and gurdwaras across the city are easy to find, so many Amritsar families feel at home quickly. Our guide to moving in Delhi NCR covers each part of the region in more detail.