Roorkee

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City in Uttarakhand, India

title: "Roorkee" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["roorkee", "cities-and-towns-in-haridwar-district", "cities-in-uttarakhand"] description: "City in Uttarakhand, India" topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roorkee" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary City in Uttarakhand, India ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameRoorkee City
official_nameRoorkee City
settlement_typeCity
image_skyline{{Photomontage
photo1aMain(Administrative)Building IIT-Roorkee.JPGMain Administrative Building IIT Roorkee
photo2aGangesCanalRoorkee2008.jpgThe East India Company-era (1854) Ganeshpur bridge over the Ganges Canal in Roorkee, 2008
photo3aSt. John's Church Roorkee.jpgKingdom of Dreams
spacing2
positioncenter
color_borderwhite
colorwhite
size275
foot_montageFrom top: Main Administrative Building of IIT Roorkee, The East India Company-era (1854) Ganeshpur Bridge over the Ganges Canal and St. John's Church.
pushpin_mapIndia Uttarakhand
pushpin_map_captionLocation in Uttarakhand, India
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameIndia
subdivision_type1State
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name1Uttarakhand
subdivision_name2Haridwar
established_title1Founded
established_date11842
established_title2Municipality
established_date21868
founderProby Cautley
government_typeMunicipal Corporation
governing_bodyRoorkee Municipal Corporation
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameAnita Agarwal
leader_partyBJP
leader_title2Lok Sabha MP
leader_name2Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP)
leader_title3MLA
leader_name3Pradip Batra (BJP)
unit_prefMetric
area_rank5
elevation_m275
population_metro132,889
population_as_of2011
population_density_km2auto
demographics_type1Languages
demographics1_title1Official
demographics1_info1Hindi
demographics1_title2Native
demographics1_info2Khariboli
timezone1IST
utc_offset1+5:30
postal_code_typePIN
postal_code247667
area_code+91-1332
area_code_typeTelephone code
registration_plateUK-17
blank1_name_sec1Sex ratio
blank1_info_sec11.12 ♂/♀
leader_title4Municipal Commissioner
leader_name4Rakesh Chandra Tiwari, PCS
::

| name = Roorkee City | official_name = Roorkee City | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = {{Photomontage | photo1a = Main(Administrative)Building IIT-Roorkee.JPGMain Administrative Building IIT Roorkee | photo2a = GangesCanalRoorkee2008.jpgThe East India Company-era (1854) Ganeshpur bridge over the Ganges Canal in Roorkee, 2008 | photo3a = St. John's Church Roorkee.jpgKingdom of Dreams | spacing = 2 | position = center | color_border = white | color = white | size = 275 | foot_montage = From top: Main Administrative Building of IIT Roorkee, The East India Company-era (1854) Ganeshpur Bridge over the Ganges Canal and St. John's Church. | image_alt = | image_caption = | nickname = | pushpin_map = India Uttarakhand | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Uttarakhand, India | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = India | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name1 = Uttarakhand | subdivision_name2 = Haridwar | established_title1 = Founded | established_date1 = 1842 | established_title2 = Municipality | established_date2 = 1868 | founder = Proby Cautley | government_type = Municipal Corporation | governing_body = Roorkee Municipal Corporation | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Anita Agarwal | leader_party = BJP | leader_title2 = Lok Sabha MP | leader_name2 = Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP) | leader_title3 = MLA | leader_name3 = Pradip Batra (BJP) | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | area_rank = 5 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 275 | population_metro = 132,889 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_footnotes = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_rank = | population_demonym = | demographics_type1 = Languages | demographics1_title1 = Official | demographics1_info1 = Hindi | demographics1_title2 = Native | demographics1_info2 = Khariboli | demographics2_info1 = | timezone1 = IST | utc_offset1 = +5:30 | postal_code_type = PIN | postal_code = 247667 | area_code = +91-1332 | area_code_type = Telephone code | registration_plate = UK-17 | blank1_name_sec1 = Sex ratio | blank1_info_sec1 = 1.12 ♂/♀ | website = | footnotes = | leader_title4 = Municipal Commissioner | leader_name4 = Rakesh Chandra Tiwari, PCS

Roorkee (Rūṛkī; ), formerly also anglicized as Rurki, is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is 31 km from Haridwar, the district headquarters. It is spread over a flat terrain under the Sivalik Hills of the Himalayas. The city is developed on the banks of the Ganges Canal, its dominant feature, which flows from north–south through the middle of the city.

Roorkee became part of the Landhaura estate of the Gurjars in 1824 after the death of Ram Dayal Singh Gurjar. Roorkee is home to Asia's Second engineering college the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, formerly known as Thomson College of Civil Engineering. Roorkee is also known for the Roorkee Cantonment, one of the country's oldest military establishments and the headquarters of Bengal Engineer Group since 1853.

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Rang_Mahal_Landhaura.jpg" caption="Rang Mahal of [[Landhaura"] ::

Until 1824, Roorkee was part of Landhaura estate or kingship exercises by local Hindu rulers. The area was under control of Parmar (Panwar) chiefs in eastern Saharanpur including Haridwar in kingship of Raja Sabha Chandra of Jabarhera (Jhabrera).

In 1792 Ram Dayal and his son Sawai Singh were ruling the area but due to family reasons Ramdayal left Jhabrera and went to Landhaura village and left Roorkee under the control of Raja Ramdayal Singh at Landhaura. There were two branches of Jhabrera State (riyasat), with main branch at Jhabrera and the second one at Landhaura. Both father and son were ruling simultaneously without any conflicts until the death of Raja Sawai Singh of Jabarhera in 1803. After the death of Sawai Singh total control of powers transferred to Ram Dayal Singh at Landhaura.

After the death of Raja Ram Dayal Singh in 29 March 1813, it was a part of the Landhaura princely state until 1824 when the British occupied it.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Ganges_canal_roorkee1860.jpg" caption="Ganga canal, 1860."] ::

Roorkee is listed in the Ain-i-Akbari as a pargana under the sarkar of Saharanpur, producing a revenue of 12,234 dams for the imperial treasury and supplying a force of 1200 infantry and 125 cavalry.

Before 1840, the city was a tiny hamlet consisting of mud huts on the banks of the Solani rivulet. Digging work on the Upper Ganges Canal formally began in April 1842, under the aegis of Proby Cautley, a British officer. Local works were designed and overseen by the engineer Thomas Login. Soon, Roorkee developed into a town. The canal, which was formally opened on 8 April 1854, provided irrigation waters for more than 767,000 acre in 5,000 villages.

Col. P.T. Cautley, an officer in the British Army, was most instrumental in constructing the canal. According to Dept. of Hydrology, the canal, which is still considered as a marvel of engineering, was built in 1853. However, water was released in the canal on 8 April 1854.

To look after the maintenance of the canal, the Canal Workshop and Iron Foundry were established in 1843 on the civil lines of the canal bank. This was followed by the establishment of a Civil Engineering School; classes started in 1845 This was to become the first engineering college established in India. On 25 November 1847, the college was formally constituted through a proposal by the Sir James Thomason, Lt. Governor of North-Western Province (1843–53). In 1853 Bengal Sappers and Miners were stationed here which provided a controlling influence during the 1857 uprising. Under the Post Office Act of 1866, it was among the first few towns to have a post office and first telegraph office in the district. In 1886, Roorkee was placed on the rail map of India. In 1907, the first provincial trunk road from Meerut-Roorkee-Dehradun was constructed. In 1920, Roorkee became the first town in Uttar Pradesh to have hydroelectricity. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Solani_Aquaduct_Of_Ganges_Canal.jpg" caption="Solani Aqueduct]] Of [[Ganges Canal"] ::

India's first aqueduct was constructed over the Solani river, near Roorkee as part of the Ganges Canal project, which itself was India's first irrigation work in North India. In 1851, the Solani Aqueduct Railway was built by Proby Cautley in Roorkee to transport construction materials for the Ganges canal. It was operated by the Bengal Sappers. A steam engine, Jenny Lind, (specially shipped from England moved on rails in India), pulled a freight train that ran in Roorkee on 22 December 1851 between Roorkee and Piran Kaliyar, 10 km from the city, two years before the first passenger trains were started between Bombay and Thana in 1853 and 14 years after the first freight trains ran in Chennai in 1837. A replica of what the locomotive is thought to have looked like is exhibited at Roorkee Railway Station.

The municipality of Roorkee was created in 1868. It had been home to the Bengal Sappers and Miners since 1853, and two artillery units were stationed there. Today, the Roorkee Cantonment has a large army base. The Bengal Engineering Group and Centre (BEG&C) are still there today.

In 1901, when the city had a population of 17,197, it was made the headquarters of the Roorkee Tehsil, in the Saharanpur district of the United Province of the British Raj; the tehsil included 426 villages (of the parganas of Jwalapur, Manglaur and Bhagwanpur) and six towns, the most important among them being Haridwar and Manglaur.

Geography

Roorkee is located at . It has an average elevation of 268 m.

Roorkee is 184.3 km north of the Indian capital, New Delhi, between the rivers Ganges and Yamuna, close to the foothills of the Himalayas. It is 65 kilometres away from Dehradun (the capital of Uttarakhand), 30 km from Haridwar and 48 km away from Muzaffarnagar. Before the creation of Uttarakhand on 9 November 2000, Roorkee was a part of the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The city is located in the Roorkee plain which is composed of recent alluvium with a gentle slope. As per the census of 2011, the region is spread over 129.88 km2.

There are a total of 106 villages in the Roorkee community development block of Hardwar. The total population of Roorkee block is 301,268 with a male population of 158,879 and a female population of 142,389. There are 51,329 households in Roorkee block.

Climate

Roorkee has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen Cwa), typical of the northern Indo-Gangetic plain. There are three seasons. A sweltering, dry “hot” season begins in mid-March and extends until mid-June with steadily increasing humidity and discomfort. From mid-June until the end of September the southwest monsoon gives the “wet” season with a total of around 770 mm of rainfall or about-four-fifths of the annual total. This monsoonal rain is accompanied by hot temperatures, very warm mornings, and extremely uncomfortable humidity. From early October the “cool” season begins as the monsoon retreats, featuring warm to very warm afternoons, cool mornings, and moderate humidity. Occasionally western disturbances between January and March will bring a little rainfall during this season, although the average total from October to March is only 145 mm.

| location = Roorkee (1991–2020, extremes 1901–2012) | metric first = Yes | single line = Yes | Jan record high C = 30.1 | Feb record high C = 31.9 | Mar record high C = 39.0 | Apr record high C = 43.8 | May record high C = 47.4 | Jun record high C = 46.7 | Jul record high C = 45.0 | Aug record high C = 39.8 | Sep record high C = 38.3 | Oct record high C = 38.3 | Nov record high C = 33.9 | Dec record high C = 30.5 | year record high C = 47.4 | Jan high C = 19.1 | Feb high C = 23.6 | Mar high C = 29.6 | Apr high C = 35.4 | May high C = 38.0 | Jun high C = 37.2 | Jul high C = 33.6 | Aug high C = 32.9 | Sep high C = 32.5 | Oct high C = 31.4 | Nov high C = 27.1 | Dec high C = 22.1 | year high C = 30.0 | Jan low C = 6.4 | Feb low C = 9.2 | Mar low C = 14.1 | Apr low C = 18.9 | May low C = 23.1 | Jun low C = 24.9 | Jul low C = 25.4 | Aug low C = 24.9 | Sep low C = 23.4 | Oct low C = 18.0 | Nov low C = 11.8 | Dec low C = 7.7 | year low C = 16.9 | Jan record low C = -1.1 | Feb record low C = -2.2 | Mar record low C = 2.8 | Apr record low C = 7.2 | May record low C = 11.1 | Jun record low C = 16.1 | Jul record low C = 18.8 | Aug record low C = 19.0 | Sep record low C = 15.2 | Oct record low C = 8.9 | Nov record low C = 2.2 | Dec record low C = -0.7 | year record low C = -2.2 | rain colour = green | Jan rain mm = 27.7 | Feb rain mm = 45.9 | Mar rain mm = 26.5 | Apr rain mm = 10.1 | May rain mm = 23.6 | Jun rain mm = 82.6 | Jul rain mm = 263.6 | Aug rain mm = 280.6 | Sep rain mm = 192.8 | Oct rain mm = 14.3 | Nov rain mm = 2.5 | Dec rain mm = 9.4 | year rain mm = 979.7 | Jan rain days = 1.8 | Feb rain days = 3.2 | Mar rain days = 1.7 | Apr rain days = 1.1 | May rain days = 2.2 | Jun rain days = 4.2 | Jul rain days = 8.9 | Aug rain days = 10.8 | Sep rain days = 6.6 | Oct rain days = 1.0 | Nov rain days = 0.4 | Dec rain days = 1.1 | year rain days = 42.9 |time day = 17:30 IST | Jan humidity = 68 | Feb humidity = 59 | Mar humidity = 47 | Apr humidity = 39 | May humidity = 40 | Jun humidity = 51 | Jul humidity = 72 | Aug humidity = 76 | Sep humidity = 72 | Oct humidity = 62 | Nov humidity = 65 | Dec humidity = 66 |year humidity = 60 |source 1 = India Meteorological Department{{cite web | url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/Climatological%20Tables%201991-2020.pdf | title = Climatological Tables of Observatories in India 1991–2020 | publisher = India Meteorological Department | access-date = April 8, 2024 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205040301/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf | archive-date = 5 February 2020 | url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/1981-2010%20CLIM%20NORMALS%20%28STATWISE%29.pdf | title = Station: Roorkee Climatological Table 1981–2010 | work = Climatological Normals 1981–2010 | publisher = India Meteorological Department | date = January 2015 | pages = 671–672 | access-date = 15 February 2020}} | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200205042509/http://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf | archive-date = 5 February 2020 | url = https://imdpune.gov.in/library/public/EXTREMES%20OF%20TEMPERATURE%20and%20RAINFALL%20upto%202012.pdf | title = Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012) | publisher = India Meteorological Department | date = December 2016 | page = M228 | access-date = 15 February 2020}}

Demographics

The Roorkee Tehsil is the most populous among the three Tehsils in the Haridwar District with 45% of its population categorized as urban. According to the 2011 census Roorkee city has a population of 392,000, within the area of 8.11 square kilometres. The average literacy rate of Roorkee is 89.48%. The sex ratio of the town as-of 2011, is 863 for all age groups while between the age 0–6 it is 820.

Government and politics

For administrative purposes, the Roorkee city is part of the Haridwar district's Roorkee Tehsil. The city falls under the Roorkee Legislative Assembly constituency, which is one of the seventy electoral Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly constituencies of Uttarakhand state in India.

Civic administration

The governance of Roorkee city is done by the Roorkee Municipal Corporation (RMC) which falls under Roorkee Metropolitan Region. According to the 2011 census, the RMC covers an areas of 28.91 km2 with a 1.84 lakh population. The RMC is administered through the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act 1959, which was adopted and amended by Uttarakhand. The act is administered by the Urban Development Department (UDD), part of the Government of Uttarakhand.

The council is formed every five years through ward councillors's elections and it holds the highest authority within the Urban Local Body (ULB) to make decisions. The council is headed by a Mayor, who is elected by the Ward Councillors from 40 municipal wards. A Municipal Commissioner (MC) is appointed by the state who is responsible for the operations of the ULB. The RMC is responsible for city related civic services like cleanliness of the city, solid waste management, maintenance of gardens/dividers/circles, street light, bio-medical waste, and all storm water and wastewater drainage.

Politics

The RMC has 40 wards with a voter population of 14.05 lakh voters- split between nearly 7.26 lakh men and 6.79 lakh women voters. The major political parties which are active in the local elections are Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

Economy

Roorkee is an industrial base of Haridwar district. It is partially industrialized. Its main industries are ship part manufacturing, surveying, drawing and mechanical instrument manufacturing. It has a GDP of US$112 million.

Languages

The major languages spoken in Roorkee are Hindi 72%, Urdu 23%, Punjabi 3%, and English 2%.

References

References

  1. "Languages of Uttarakhand".
  2. (2 March 2002). "Census of India, 2011". Office of the Registrar General, India.
  3. [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20081124/dplus1.htm "Bengal Sappers’ saga of valour"], ''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh). The Tribune]],'' 24 November 2008.
  4. "Tareekh Gurjar Vol 5-تاریخ گرجر جلد پنجم.pdf".
  5. Chauhan, Rana Ali Hasan. (1998). "A Short History of the Gurjars: Past and Present". Chauhan Publications.
  6. Rahi, Javaid. (2012-01-01). "The Gujjars Vol: 01 and 02 Edited by Dr. Javaid Rahi". Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture, Languages, Jammu.
  7. Arya, D. S.. (1995). "Urbanization and It's Environmental Impacts". Discovery Publishing House.
  8. Lal, Prem Hari Har. (1993). "The Doon Valley Down the Ages". Interprint.
  9. Rahi, Javaid. (2012-01-01). "The Gujjars Vol: 01 and 02 Edited by Dr. Javaid Rahi". Jammu and Kashmir Acacademy of Art, Culture, Languages, Jammu.
  10. Oudh (India), United Provinces of Agra and. (1909). "District Gazetteers of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh: Saharanpur". Supdt., Government Press, United Provinces.
  11. Arya, D. S.. (1995). "Urbanization and It's Environmental Impacts". Discovery Publishing House.
  12. "History – ROORKEE CANTONMENT BOARD".
  13. Atkinson, Edwin Thomas. (1875). "Statistical, Descriptive and Historical Account of the North-Western Provinces of India: 2.:Meerut division part 1". North-Western Provinces Government.
  14. (2000). "Environmental Impact Assessment: Available Techniques, Emerging Trends". Discovery Publishing House.
  15. "Roorkee Cantonment Board – History".
  16. Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak. (1891). "The Ain-i-Akbari". Asiatic Society of Bengal.
  17. [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V21_331.gif Roorkee Town2], ''[[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]]'', v. 21, ''p. 325.''
  18. (1875). "Obituary. Thomas Login, F.r.s.e., 1823-1874". Minutes of the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
  19. [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V12_144.gif Upper Ganges Canal], ''[[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]]'', v. 12, p. 138.
  20. to train local youth to assist in the civil-engineering work of the Upper Ganges Canal.[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V04_350.gif Indian Engineering Colleges], ''[[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]]'', 1909, v. 4, p. 321.
  21. Sandes, Lt Col E.W.C.. (1935). "The Military Engineer, Vol II". Institution of Royal Engineers.
  22. [https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V03_376.gif Irrigation and Navigation] [[Imperial Gazetteer of India]], 1909 v. 3, p. 341.
  23. irfca.org/docs/history/india-first-railways.html
  24. The Old Cemetery in the city is a protected monument, by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]].[http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_uttranchal.asp Alphabetical List of Monuments – Uttarakhand] ''[[Archaeological Survey of India]]'' website.
  25. "Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Roorkee". Fallingrain.com.
  26. [http://india.gov.in/business/investment_incentives/uttarakhand/uttarakhand.php Uttarakhand] Govt. of India, Official website.
  27. "Census of India- 2011, District census handbook-Hardwar- Village and town directory".
  28. "Roorkee Block Hardwar – List of Villages in Roorkee Population Literacy".
  29. "DISTRICT CENSUS HANDBOOK HARDWAR VILLAGE AND TOWN WISE PRIMARY CENSUS ABSTRACT (PCA)".
  30. "Roorkee – Uttarakhand Assembly constituency Details".
  31. (28 February 2019). "Roorkee Municipal Corporation-ICRA".
  32. (26 January 2025). "BJP candidate Anita Devi Agarawal becomes first woman mayor of Roorkee".
  33. "Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India".

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