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Roorkee – History, Geography and Demographics of Uttarakhand’s Oldest Industrial City

Introduction
Roorkee is a historic city located in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand. With a population of around 400,000, it is Uttarakhand’s largest and most populous city after Dehradun and Haridwar. Roorkee has a rich history and heritage as one of north India’s oldest industrial hubs.

History

  • Roorkee finds mention in Mughal records as early as the 16th century. It was a tiny hamlet by the Solani river in the early 19th century.
  • The Upper Ganges Canal project began here in 1842 under British officer Proby Cautley. This transformed Roorkee into a town.
  • Asia’s first engineering college, Thomason College of Civil Engineering (now IIT Roorkee), was established here in 1847.
  • Roorkee was home to the Bengal Sappers military unit from 1853. It became a major cantonment town.
  • Country’s first aqueduct and steam locomotive were developed in Roorkee in the 1850s as part of the Ganges Canal project.
  • Roorkee Municipality was established in 1868. The city was a major center in United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh).
  • It became part of Uttarakhand state in 2000 after the state’s formation.

Geography and Climate

  • Roorkee is located in the fertile Gangetic plains region at the foothills of Himalayas.
  • The city has a humid subtropical climate with very hot summers and cool, wet winters.
  • It is situated on the banks of the Ganges Canal which flows through the city.

Demographics

  • Hinduism is the predominant religion in Roorkee with over 80% Hindu population.
  • Hindi and Urdu are the major languages spoken here. Punjabi and English also have significant speakers.
  • The city has a literacy rate of 89% according to 2011 census. Male literacy is higher than female literacy.
  • Around 45% of Roorkee’s population lives in urban areas. Rural population is concentrated in surrounding villages.

Economy and Industry

  • As one of Uttarakhand’s most industrialized cities, Roorkee has a diversified economy.
  • Key industries are engineering, electronics, chemicals, paper, sugar, textiles, glass and machine tools.
  • It has a GDP of $112 million. Major public sector units here include Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) and Central Building Research Institute (CBRI).
  • The city is known for production of scientific and engineering instruments, ship parts, etc. Agriculture is also an important economic activity.

Roorkee is thus one of north India’s oldest industrial hubs with a unique history and heritage. Today it continues to be Uttarakhand’s major economic center after Dehradun and houses Asia’s pioneering engineering institute IIT Roorkee.