Kalka

Last updated

Kalka
Kalka railway station nameplate.jpg
India Haryana location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Kalka
Coordinates: 30°50′N76°56′E / 30.83°N 76.93°E / 30.83; 76.93
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
State Haryana
District Panchkula
Nearest city Panchkula, Chandigarh,Ambala, Solan, Shimla
Founded1842
Elevation
656 m (2,152 ft)
Population
 (2011)
  Total34,134
Languages
  Official Haryanvi, Hindi, English
Time zone UTC+5.30
Post code
133302
Area code 1733
Vehicle registration HR-49

Kalka is a town in the Panchkula district of Haryana, India. It is near Panchkula city. The name of the town is derived from the Hindu goddess Kali. It is situated in the foothills of the Himalayas and is a gateway to the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh. It is on the National Highway 5 between Chandigarh and Shimla, and it is the terminus of the Kalka-Shimla Railway. To the south of Kalka is Pinjore, and the industrial village of Parwanoo (Himachal Pradesh) is to the north on NH 22. Railways and Industrial development have led to a continuous urban belt from Pinjore to Parwanoo, but Kalka gained major economic benefits due to only highway until 2010, Shimla. It is the tehsil of 253 nearby sub-villages. Nearby is Chandimandir Cantonment, where the Western Command of the Indian army is based. In 2013, the municipal committee of Kalka was dissolved and the administration was reassigned to Panchkula Municipal Corporation.

Contents

History

The town takes its name from Kalika Maa the ruling deity. Kalka was acquired by British India from the Princely state of Patiala in 1843 as a stopover and depot for the Simla, the summer capital of the Raj. [1] In 1846, it was transferred to the Shimla district and in 1899 to the Ambala district. [2] The main center part was established by Pundir Rajputs of Haryana and the area was under them and this town was governed by local Rajputi zamindars. In the 1800s, the British occupied the land from local zamindars for rail development, which led to an economic boost for the town. It became the junction for the Delhi-Panipat-Ambala-Kalka railway line, and the Kalka-Shimla railways (opened in 1903). [2] By 1901, the town, administered as a notified area, had a population of 7,045, a railway workshop, and a market for ginger and turmeric. [1] The Kalka municipal committee was created on 11 April 1933.

Climate

Kalka experiences a subtropical climate, with a monsoon season from late June to early October. The summer starts in mid-April and temperatures peak during May and June. This is followed by the monsoon season, which is accompanied by a drop in temperature and an increase in humidity. Temperatures remain moderate in October and November, but start falling towards the end of November. Winter lasts through December, January, and February, with temperatures lowest in early January. Kalka also receives some rainfall from Western Disturbance, near the end of winter. Winter season, despite being chilly, is mostly free of fog, unlike most North Indian cities in the plains.

Climate data for Kalka
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)18.1
(64.6)
21
(70)
26.2
(79.2)
32.2
(90.0)
36.7
(98.1)
36.7
(98.1)
31.5
(88.7)
30.3
(86.5)
31.1
(88.0)
29.3
(84.7)
25.3
(77.5)
20.7
(69.3)
28.3
(82.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)6.2
(43.2)
8.1
(46.6)
12.8
(55.0)
17.7
(63.9)
22.6
(72.7)
24.8
(76.6)
23.7
(74.7)
23.1
(73.6)
21.7
(71.1)
16
(61)
10.2
(50.4)
7.1
(44.8)
16.2
(61.1)
Average rainfall mm (inches)73
(2.9)
51
(2.0)
55
(2.2)
17
(0.7)
30
(1.2)
104
(4.1)
428
(16.9)
339
(13.3)
200
(7.9)
53
(2.1)
12
(0.5)
29
(1.1)
1,391
(54.9)
Source: climate-data.org [3]

Transport

Road

Kalka is situated along a slope. This makes it somewhat difficult to commute on foot. Local transport (within Kalka) is by shared auto-rickshaws. These autos ply to a distance of around 15–20 km. There are also shared cabs for distances up to 25–30 km. Government and private buses are also very common for commuting to nearby cities. Many intercity govt buses start or pass through Kalka, connecting it with Chandigarh, Ambala, Panipat, Delhi, Shimla, and many other cities.

Rail

Kalka railway station is the northern terminal of the Delhi-Kalka line of Northern Railway, Indian Rail (Station code KLK) serving as terminal station for broad gauge line (towards Chandigarh) and narrow gauge line (towards Shimla). Direct trains on broad gauge, connect to Delhi, Mumbai, Howrah etc. In recent years, trains have been started from Kalka to Shirdi, Maharashtra, and to Katra, Jammu which run on specific days of the week.

Kalka Shimla Railway

The Kalka Shimla Railway features on the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list. Work on the railway line started in 1898 and it opened for traffic in 1903.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the population of Kalka is 34,314. The Kalka Metropolitan area population is 86,550, which consists of the adjoining cities of Kalka, Pinjore, and Parwanoo. The local language is Baghati but Punjabi, Haryanvi, and Hindi is also used by the residents in the town.

Places of interest

Kalika Devi temple

The ancient temple of the Hindu goddess Kali is situated on the National Highway 22 [ citation needed ] that runs through Kalka town. The temple is visited by devotees who pay their respects annually during the Navratri. According to oral tradition, the original temple was built by Pandavas of Mahabharata of Vedic era during their Agyatvas (exile) when they stayed here for some time.

Annual religious mela (fair) is held in March–April every year. [2]

Shri Trimurtidham Balaji Hanuman Temple

Sri Trimurti Dham is situated amidst the Shivalik Hills. It is located on a hilltop beside the eastern fringe of Kalka town in the district. Panchkula (Haryana) overlooking the industrial city Parwanoo. The literal meaning of 'Sri Trimurti Dham' is "a place where Teen Murtis (three idols) exist together".

Shimla

Shimla is situated in the south-western range of Himalayas. It is 88 km from Kalka and can be reached in 2.5 hours by car. Toy train is also ply from Shimla to Kalka, and vice versa. It remains a favourite tourist destination of all throughout the year.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panchkula district</span> District of Haryana in India

Panchkula district was formed as the 17th district of the Indian state of Haryana on 15 August 1995. It comprises two sub divisions and two tehsils: Panchkula and Kalka. It has 264 villages, out of which 12 are uninhabited and ten wholly merged with towns or treated as census towns according to the 1991 census. There are five towns in the district: Barwala, Kalka, Panchkula, Pinjore and Raipur Rani. The total population of the district is 319,398 out of which 173,557 are males and 145,841 are females.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manali, Himachal Pradesh</span> Town in India

Manali is a town, near Kullu town in Kullu district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated in the northern end of the Kullu Valley, formed by the Beas River. The town is located in the Kullu district, approximately 270 kilometres (170 mi) north of the state capital of Shimla and 544 kilometres (338 mi) northeast of the national capital of New Delhi. With a population of 8,096 people recorded in the 2011 Indian census Manali is the beginning of an ancient trade route through Lahaul (H.P) and Ladakh, over the Karakoram Pass and onto Yarkand and Hotan in the Tarim Basin of China. Manali is a popular tourist destination in India and serves as the gateway to the Lahaul and Spiti district as well as the city of Leh in Ladakh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Railway zone</span> Northernmost railway zone of India

The Northern Railway (NR) is one of the 19 Railway zones of India and the northernmost zone of the Indian Railways. It is headquartered at Baroda House in New Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambala</span> City in Haryana, India

Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border with the Indian state of Punjab and in proximity to both states capital Chandigarh. Politically, Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantonment and Ambala City, eight kilometres apart, therefore it is also known as "Twin City". It has a large Indian Army and Indian Air Force presence within its cantonment area. It is located 200 km (124 mi) to the north of New Delhi, India's capital, and has been identified as a counter-magnet city for the National Capital Region to develop as an alternative center of growth to Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panchkula</span> City in Haryana, India

Panchkula is a planned city and district headquarter in the Panchkula district in Haryana, India. Panchkula is a border city with Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh. The origin of the name Panchkula came from the place where five irrigation canals meet. At present, it forms a part of an adjoining area to Chandigarh, Mohali, and Zirakpur. It is approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Chandigarh, 105 km (65 mi) southwest of Shimla, 44 km (27 mi) from Ambala and 259 km (161 mi) northeast of New Delhi, the national capital. It is a part of the Chandigarh capital region or Greater Chandigarh. The Chandigarh-Mohali-Panchkula metropolitan region collectively forms a Chandigarh Tricity, with a combined population of over two million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parwanoo</span> Town in Himachal Pradesh, India

Parwanoo or Parwanu is a municipal council in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is an industrial town. It has Himachal's biggest wholesale market. First in 3rd-category(less than 3 lakhs population) of Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan award 2023 .It borders Panchkula district of Haryana, and is after the towns of Pinjore and Kalka on the Chandigarh Simla Highway. In fact it is separated by a river bed from the town of Kalka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pinjore</span> Town in Haryana, India

Pinjore is a town in Panchkula district in the Indian state of Haryana. This residential 'township', located close to Panchkula, Chandigarh, is set over 1,800 feet above the sea level in a valley, overlooking the Sivalik Hills. Pinjore is known for Pinjore Gardens, Asia's best 17th Century Mughal garden, and the Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) factory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandimandir Cantonment</span>

Chandimandir Cantonment is a military cantonment of the Indian Army located in Panchkula district at the foot of the Sivalik Hills adjoining Panchkula city in Haryana. It is the headquarters of the Western Command of the Indian Army.

Himachal Pradesh, although railways and airways serve very limited transport needs, the road network of the state serves the transport needs of the people. Although, the geography of Himachal presents considerable challenge to the development of transport infrastructure, it has the highest road density among all the Hill States of India. Himachal also has 3 airports, 2 narrow gauge rail tracks and couple of other under-construction broad gauge railway tracks, but roads remain the main mode of transport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puadh</span> Historic region in north India

Puadh is a historic region in north India that comprises parts of present-day Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and the U.T. of Chandigarh, India. It has the Sutlej river in its north and covers the regions immediately south of the Ghaggar river. The people of the area are known as Puadhi and speak the Puadhi dialect of Punjabi. The capital cities of Puadh region are Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Patiala, Chandigarh, Nalagarh,Panchkula, Baddi ,Ambala, Yamunanagar

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandigarh Capital Region</span> Area in India

Chandigarh Capital Region (CCR) or Chandigarh Metropolitan Region (CMR) is an area, which includes the union territory city of Chandigarh, and its neighboring cities of Mohali, Kharar, Zirakpur, New Chandigarh (in Punjab) and Panchkula, Pinjore, Kalka, Barwala (in Haryana). Chandigarh Administration, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) are different authorities responsible for development of this region. Baddi, an industrial town in nearby Himachal Pradesh, is also adjacent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Administrative divisions of Haryana</span> Regional divisions in Haryana

Haryana, formed on 1 November 1966, is a state in North India. For the administrative purpose, Haryana is divided into 6 revenue divisions which are further divided into 22 districts. For Law and Order maintenance, it is divided into 5 Police Ranges and 4 Police Commissionerates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Haryana</span> Overview of and topical guide to Haryana

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Haryana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delhi–Kalka line</span> Railway line in India

The Delhi–Kalka line is a railway line connecting Delhi and Kalka. It connects to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kalka–Shimla Railway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kalka railway station</span> Railway station in Himachal Pradesh

Kalka Railway Station, at Kalka in Haryana state of India, is the northern terminus of the Delhi–Kalka line and the starting point of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kalka–Shimla Railway. It serves passengers moving on to Delhi & Shimla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himalayan Expressway</span> Road in India

The Himalayan Expressway is a 27.5 km stretch of highway in India that runs through the Shivaliks at the trijunction of Haryana, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh. It is part of the Chandigarh–Shimla Expressway which connects Zirakpur in Punjab to Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh. It forms part of National Highway 5. The stretch runs through 2 km in Zirakpur, Punjab, 21 km in Panchkula, Haryana, and 4.5 km in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh. It was constructed by Jaypee Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karnal railway station</span> Railway station in Haryana, India

Karnal railway station, at an altitude of 253 metres (830 ft) above mean sea level, is a class "A" station on Delhi–Kalka line, located in Karnal district of Haryana state of India. Built in 1892 by the British Raj, it is one of the oldest stations in India which also holds the title of country's National Heritage Site. It is under Delhi railway division (DRD) of Northern Railway zone (NR) of the Indian Railways (IR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Highway 5 (India)</span> National highway in North India

National Highway 5 (NH5) is a primary national highway in India, running from West to East, connecting Firozpur in Punjab to the Sino-Indian border at Shipki La. The highway passes through Moga, Jagraon, Ludhiana, Mohali, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Kalka, Solan, Shimla, Theog, Narkanda, Kumarsain, Rampur Bushahr and continues along the Sutlej River till its terminus near the Tibet border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railway in Haryana</span> Train service in the northern Indian state

The rail network in the state of Haryana in India, is covered by five rail divisions under three rail zones: North Western Railway zone, Northern Railway zone and North Central Railway zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation</span> State-owned agency of the government of Haryana, India

Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), formerly Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC), headquartered at Panchkula, is a 100% state-owned agency of the government of Haryana in the Indian state of Haryana. For ease of doing business, Haryana is the first state in India to introduce a labour policy in 2005 and Land Pooling Policy in 2017, for which HSIIDC acts as the nodal agency. Haryana Financial Corporation provides financial assistance for setting up new industrial units and for the expansion and diversification of the existing industries. Various universities, educational and training institutes, including the nation's first skills university Haryana Vishwakarma Skill University, provide the human resources to capitalise on the infrastructure created by the HSIIDC.

References

  1. 1 2 Imperial gazetteer of India: provincial series, Volume 21. Supdt. of Govt. of India. 1906. p. 335.
  2. 1 2 3 Haryana Gazateer, Revenue Dept of Haryana, Capter-V.
  3. "Climate:Kalka" . Retrieved 10 February 2014.