Panchkula is a planned city and district headquarter in the Panchkula district, part of Ambala divisioninHaryana, India. The origin of the name Panchkula came from the place where five irrigation canals meet. It forms a part of an adjoining area to the Chandigarh, Mohali and Zirakpur. It is approximately 4 km (2.4 miles) southeast of Chandigarh, 105 km (65 miles) southwest of Shimla, 44 km (27 miles) from Ambala and 259 km (162 miles) 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 2 million.
The city hosts the Chandimandir Cantonment, the headquarters of the Western Command of the Indian Army. In 2011, Panchkula city had a population of 211,355 of which male and female were 111,731 and 99,624 respectively. It is a planned city like Chandigarh, with a sector system.
Etymology
The word is derived from the local word panch (Sanskrit: पंच) (five) and kula (Sanskrit: कुला) (canals) "The city of 5 canals", possibly referring to five irrigation canals that distribute water from the Ghaggar-Hakra River.[4]
History
The city is named after Panchkula village that is situated on the Ambala Kalka highway, near the junction with the Chandigarh road. The city was planned and developed by the state of Haryana in the 1970s. Panchkula was supposed to be the capital.
Ramgarh Fort
The fort was built by the Rajput rulers of Kahlur State, headquarter of which was Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh. King of Bilaspur built the Ramgarh Fort 360 years ago.[5] In 1687, its rulers offered Guru Gobind Singh a horse, a sword and Rs 500000 when he was relocating his troops from Paonta SahibtoAnandpur Sahib after the Battle of Bhangani. In the 1750s, it fell to eventually a fief to Sirmur State, but became independent in 1804. It is currently occupied by the progeny of Kalee Chand, younger son of King of Bilaspur Sangar Chand (r. 1197-1220), and run as a heritage hotel.
Sikh sites
Nada Sahib (named after Nada Shah who was a disciple of Guru Gobind Singh, 2 km south east of Panchkula), Lakhnaur Sahib (native place of Mata Gujri mother of Guru Gobind Singh, has a charpai belonging to Guru Gobind Singh, 6 kilometres south of Ambala), Panjokhra Sahib (visited by the 8th guru of Sikhs Guru Har Krishan, 8 km east of Ambala) and Haryoli (temple of RishisMarkandeya hold an annual fair in September–October where he meditated to lord Shiva at the age of 12, located 15 km to southeast of Ambala Cantonment) are the popular ancient religious sites.[6]
Geography and climate
Panchkula district has a sub-tropical continental monsoon climate having, hot summers, cool winters, good monsoon rainfall. It has great variation in temperature (-1 °C to 43 °C). Sometimes winter frost occurs during December and January. The district also receives winter rains from the western disturbance. The rainfall is mostly received in the monsoon. Morni hills constitute the highest point of the district as well as of Haryana. The Ghaggar is the only perennial river, which is very shallow outside of the monsoons. The mountains and hills of Kasauli are clearly visible from Panchkula.
Generally, the slope of the district is from north east to south west and in this direction, most of the rivers/streams rain-fed torrents flow down and spread much gravel and pebbles in their beds. Only the Sirsa river, in Kalka Tehsil flows towards the north-west. The soils in the district are mainly light loam.
The underground water in the district is generally fresh and suitable for domestic and irrigation purposes. The underground water level is generally high in the southern parts and low in north and north-east which is hilly tract. The district lies in the Himalayas boundary fault zones and earthquakes of moderate to high intensity have occurred in the past.
Average temperature
Spring: It lasts from February-end to early-April. Temperatures vary between (max) 13 °C to 20 °C and (min) 5 °C to 12 °C.
Autumn: In autumn (from September-end to mid-November.), the temperature may rise to a maximum of 30 °C. Temperatures usually remain between 10° to 22° in autumn. The minimum temperature is around 6 °C.
Summer: The temperature in summer (from mid-April to June-end) may rise even above 40 °C. Temperatures generally remain between 30 °C to 39 °C (94 – 101F).
Monsoon: During monsoon (from early-July to mid-September), Panchkula receives moderate to heavy rainfall and sometimes heavy to very heavy rainfall (generally during the month of August or September). Usually, the rain-bearing monsoon winds blow from south-west/south-east. Mostly, the city receives heavy rain from the south (which is mainly a persistent rain) but it generally receives most of its rain during monsoon either from North-west or North-east. The maximum amount of rain received by the city of Panchkula during monsoon season is 195.5 mm in a single day.
Winter: Winters (November-end to February-end) are mild but it can sometimes get quite chilly in Panchkula. Average temperatures in the winter remain at (max) 5 °C to 14 °C and (min) -1 °C to 5 °C. Rain usually comes from the west during winters and it is usually a persistent rain for 2–3 days with sometimes hail-storms.[7]
According to the 2011 Census of India, the people of the city are mainly Punjabi Hindu, with substantial Sikh and Muslim minorities.[8] Despite being a part of the Hindi-speaking Haryana, a plurality of the city's population speaks Punjabi as a first language.[9]
In 2011, Panchkula had 48,772 households in the city, with a population of 211,355, of which male and female were 111,731 and 99,624 respectively.[10]
Panchkula municipality is governed under the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973. According to the 2011 Census, Panchkula is governed by a municipal council,[10] but it has since upgraded to the status of a municipal corporation.[13] The population of the municipality, as per Census 2011, is 210,175.[14]
Since 2017, Mr Rajesh Jogpal (HCS) headed the corporation as its municipal commissioner.[15] In December, 2019, he was transferred and replaced by IAS Sumedha Kataria.[16] The first woman Mayor of Panchkula was Upinder Kaur Alhuwalia, who served the term from 2013-18.[17][18] In 2018, the state decided to hold direct elections for the post,[19] and as of August 2020, they are yet to be held.[20]
In July 2020, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation was bifurcated, with Kalka and Pinjore separating from the corporation and getting their own municipal council status.[21] The city is divided into 20 wards for the purpose of administration,[22][23] and is built over an area of 32.6 square km.[10]
Civic utilities
Water supply and sewerage in Panchkula is maintained by Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) of the state, as well as the municipal corporation at the local level.[24] As of 2008, 80 MLD of water is supplied to Panchkula city, and it is treated by chlorination.[25]
Panchkula also produces 115 MT (metric tons or 1000 kgs) of waste per day, out of which only about 40 MT is processed.[26] As per the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) report, 100% door to door collection has been ensured in all wards through waste pickers.[26] Jhariwala village has a sanitary landfill for the waste, where unsegregated waste is dumped. The city also has a community composting facility, material recovery facility and biogas plant.[26] As of 2008, the city generated 64 MLD of sewage and had three sewage treatment plants (STPs) that were functional with a capacity of 18, 39 and 15 MLD respectively.[25]
Panchkula city has an interim master plan that has been published by the Town and Country Planning department of Haryana state.[27]
Economy
Employment
Panchkula IT Park (also known as Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructural Development Corporation Technology Park) is the state of art infrastructure to facilitate information technology in the city. It spreads over 74 acres developed by HSIIDC situated in sector 22 on foothills of Shivalik Hills or outer Himalayas and on the banks of Ghaggar River. It is well connected to Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
Tourism
There are various tourist attractions in and around Panchkula including:
Bhima Devi Temple Site Museum nicknamed Khajuraho of North India for its erotic sculptures, comprises the restored ruins of an ancient Hindu temple dating from between 8th and 11th century AD.
Nada Sahib is a Sikh Gurudwara in the Panchkula district of the Indian state of Haryana. Situated on the banks of the Ghaggar-Hakra River in the Sivalik Hills.
Morni, the hill resort at Morni Hills, an offshoot of the Sivalik Hills, are about 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the city. The hills were named for Queen Morni, who is said to have ruled this city.
Pinjore Gardens, also known as Yadavindra Gardens, are about 20 km (12 mi) from the city, and cover a total area of 100 hectares (250 acres). The work of creating the gardens began in the seventeenth century. Pinjore Gardens is the venue for an annual mango festival. The garden houses a mini zoo, historic places, Japanese garden, nursery and a number of picnic spots. According to Hindu theology, the Pandava brothers rested in Pinjore during their exile.
Kaushalya Dam is an earth-filled barrage dam on Kaushalya river in Pinjore. It is an important wetland that is home to many endangered migratory birds.Kaushalya Dam
Panchkula has its own Sports Complex in Sector 3 includes Tau Devi Lal Cricket Stadium, Panchkula Golf Course, Olympic Athletic Track and other multi-purpose facilities for sports.
Tau Devi Lal Cricket Stadium has a cricket stadium, badminton hall, football ground, athletic Track and accommodation facilities for the sportsperson.
Panchkula Golf Course was set up in 2003 over a 135-acres of land. This 18 hole golf course is located in sector 3 in the foothills of Shivalik Hills on the banks of Ghaggar River, just off the Himalayan Expressway.
Education
Colleges
Government College, Sector 1
Government College for Girls, Sector 14
Mother Teresa Saket College of Physiotherapy, Chandimandir Cantonment
India
Panchkula travel guide from Wikivoyage
