town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
and a
notified area committee
A nagar panchayat (town panchayat; ) or Notified Area Council (NAC) in India is a settlement in transition from rural to urban and therefore a form of an urban political unit comparable to a municipality. An urban centre with more than 12,000 ...
Ramban district
Ramban district is a district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, located in the lap of the Pir Panjal range. It was carved out as a separate district from erstwhile Doda district in 2007. It is located in the Jammu division. Th ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is a rural and hilly area with Kamirwah being one of the most prominent hills. It is located about away from
Qazigund
Qazigund, also known as Gateway Of Kashmir, is a town and in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Qazigund is located at . It has an average elevation of 1670 m (5478 feet) above mean sea level.
Qazigund Bypass Passes Th ...
of
Anantnag district
Anantnag district is a district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is one of ten districts which make up the Kashmir Valley. The district headquarters is Anantnag city. As of 2011, it was the third most populous distri ...
on
NH 44
National Highway 44 (NH 44) is a major north–south National Highway in India and is the longest in the country.
It passes through the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, ...
(former name NH 1A before renumbering of all national highways). However, the distance between Banihal and Qazigund is only 18 km by train on the new railway line which is much shorter than the road. The most common language spoken in the region is
Kashmiri Kashmiri may refer to:
* People or things related to the Kashmir Valley or the broader region of Kashmir
* Kashmiris, an ethnic group native to the Kashmir Valley
* Kashmiri language, their language
People with the name
* Kashmiri Saikia Baruah ...
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
, Gujjari, Pahari and English being other familiar languages. Banihal forms the main gateway to the valley of Kashmir.
Etymology
"Banihal" means blizzard in the Kashmiri language.
Another view regarding the origin of the name of the place is that the word 'Banihal' has actually been derived from two Kashmiri words viz 'bah' meaning twelve and 'nallhe' meaning a rivulet. Twelve rivulets signifying the various brooks flowing through the area and eventually joining the small local river called Nalla Bischlari.
There is yet another school of thought amongst the locals and some scholars in which the word Banihal is thought of as having a
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
origin. "Nihal" in Persian means greenery and hence "Banihal" would imply 'Eternally green'
In some older texts, it has also been referred to as 'Devgol', meaning the abode of the gods.
Pir Panjal
The Pir Panjal Range (Kashmiri: ) is a group of mountains in the Lesser Himalayan region, running from east-southeast (ESE) to west-northwest (WNW) across the Indian territories of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and then Pakistan's ...
mountains connect Banihal with Qazigund on the other side of the mountains. The Pir Panjal mountain range separates the Kashmir valley in the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir from the outer Himalaya and plains to the south. After the closure of the
Murree
Murree ( Punjabi, Urdu: مری) is a mountain resort city, located in the Galyat region of the Pir Panjal Range, within the Muree District of Punjab, Pakistan. It forms the outskirts of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area, and is about ...
-
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad (; ur, ) is the capital and largest city of Azad Kashmir, and the 60th largest in Pakistan.
The city is located in Muzaffarabad District, near the confluence of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers. The district is bounded by the Pak ...
-
Srinagar
Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...
road on the partition of India in 1947, Banihal pass was the only passage from Jammu to Srinagar after independence until 1956 when
Jawahar Tunnel
Jawahar Tunnel, also called Banihal Tunnel is a road tunnel in Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Named after the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, it was constructed for round-the-year surface transport between 1954 ...
was bored through the
Pir Panjal range
The Pir Panjal Range (Kashmiri: ) is a group of mountains in the Lesser Himalayan region, running from east-southeast (ESE) to west-northwest (WNW) across the Indian territories of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and then Pakistan's ...
. The pass is accessible only in summer and in winters also if there is no heavy snowfall. If there is heavy snowfall during winters the roads are closed for few days until the snow is cleared from the highway.
Demographics
India
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, Banihal had a population of 3,900 of which 2,453 (57%) are males while 1,447 (43%) are females. Banihal has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the Indian national average of 59.5%; with 66% of the males and 34% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. The population of children ages 0-6 is 388 which is 9.95% of the total population. In Banihal Municipal Committee, the Female Sex Ratio is 590 against the state average of 889. Moreover, the Child Sex Ratio in Banihal is around 902 compared to the Jammu and Kashmir state average of 862. The literacy rate of Banihal city is 83.77% higher than the state average of 67.16%. In Banihal, Male literacy is around 91.33% while the female literacy rate is 70.31%.
Administrative Divisions
Banihal Tehsil consists of three Naibats: Naibat Tethar (Area 45 square kilometres), Naibat Banihal (Area 85 Square kilometres), Naibat Chambalwas (Area 25 square kilometres)
The total agricultural land in Tethar Naibat is 10.68 square kilometres in which the total irrigated (Aabi Awal Land) is 3.14 square kilometres and the total maize or walnut orchids land is 7.54 square kilometres.
In Banihal Naibat The total agricultural land is 11.48 square kilometres in which the total irrigated (Aabi Awal land) is 3.97 square kilometres and the total maize or walnut orchids land is 7.44 square kilometres.
in Chambalwas Naibat The total agricultural land is 3.87 square kilometres in which the total irrigated (Aabi Awal land) is 0.37 square kilometres and the total maize or walnut orchids land is 3.50 square kilometres.
Linguistic breakdown of Naibats:
Naibat Tethar :
Kashmiri:95% of total population.
and the rest 5% are Gojri speaking.
Naibat Banihal:
Kashmiri: 85%
Gojri:11%
Kakh/Pogli dialect:4%
Naibat Chambalwas:
Kashmiri:15%
Kakh/Pogli dialect:68%
Gojri:17%
Reference:Wadia Chenab Tehzeeb o Saqafat (وادی چناب تہذیب و ثقافت) by Shabir Hussain Shabir
Banihal town has 645 houses and is divided into seven electoral
wards
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...
.
Banihal Road Tunnels
Existing road tunnel
A tunnel at elevation of through Pir Panjal mountain under the Banihal pass connects Banihal with Qazigund on the other side of the mountain. The tunnel named
Jawahar tunnel
Jawahar Tunnel, also called Banihal Tunnel is a road tunnel in Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Named after the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, it was constructed for round-the-year surface transport between 1954 ...
after the first Prime Minister of India was constructed in early 1950s and commissioned in December 1956 to ensure snow-free passage throughout the year. However, it remains closed for a few weeks in winter due to snow avalanches. It was designed for 150 vehicles per day in either direction but now used by more than 7,000 vehicles per day in both directions. Therefore, a new wider and longer tunnel has been planned at a lower elevation.
Jawahar tunnel is maintained by
Border Road Organisation
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to and is now a part of the Indian Armed Forces. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring ...
(BRO) of the Indian army and guarded 24x7 by the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), which also monitors it by CCTVs as the tunnel is vital for the Kashmir valley. The tunnel used to be closed to civilian traffic from midnight to 08:00 until 2009. Now it is open 24 hours a day.
Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel
Construction of a new
Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel
Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel is a road tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located in the Lower Himalayas, on National Highway 44 (India), National Highway 44. Its Construction started in 2011 and was ...
started in 2011 to widen
NH 44
National Highway 44 (NH 44) is a major north–south National Highway in India and is the longest in the country.
It passes through the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, ...
(former name NH 1A before renumbering of all national highways) to four lanes. It is a double tube tunnel consisting of two parallel tunnels – one for each direction of travel. Each tunnel is 7 metres wide and has two lanes of the road. The two tunnels are interconnected by a passage every 500 metres for maintenance and emergency evacuation. The tunnel has forced ventilation for extracting smoke and stale air and infusing fresh air. It has state of the art monitoring and control systems for security.
The new tunnel's average elevation at 1,790 m is 400 m lower than the existing
Jawahar tunnel
Jawahar Tunnel, also called Banihal Tunnel is a road tunnel in Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Named after the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, it was constructed for round-the-year surface transport between 1954 ...
's elevation and has reduced the road distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 30 km. The new tunnel is also less prone to snow avalanches as it is at a lower elevation. The vehicles have to pay toll tax to use the tunnel. The Southern portal (end) of the tunnel is at and the Northern portal (end) of the tunnel is at .
The boring of the entire 8.5 km tunnel was completed on 20 May 2018. The tunnel was inaugurated on 24th April, 2022.
Banihal Rail Tunnel
A new 11.215 km (7 miles) long Banihal-Qazigund tunnel (also known as
Pir Panjal railway tunnel
The Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel or Qazigund railway tunnel is an long railway tunnel located in Pir Panjal Range of middle Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India, south of Qazigund town. It is a part of the ...
) for the
Jammu–Baramulla line
The Jammu–Baramulla line is a railway track being laid to connect the Kashmir Valley in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir with Jammu railway station and thence to the rest of the country. The 356 km railway track will star ...
connecting Bichleri Valley of Banihal with Qazigund area of
Kashmir Valley
The Kashmir Valley, also known as the ''Vale of Kashmir'', is an intermontane valley concentrated in the Kashmir Division of the Indian- union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The valley is bounded on the southwest by the Pir Panjal Range and ...
has been constructed. The tunnel is 8.40 m wide with a height of 7.39 m. There is a road along the length of the tunnel for the maintenance of railway tracks and emergency relief. The boring was completed in October 2011, its lining and laying of rail tracks were completed in the next year and a trial run commenced at the end of 2012. Commercial runs started from 27 June 2013 reducing the distance between
Quazigund
Qazigund, also known as Gateway Of Kashmir, is a town and in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Qazigund is located at . It has an average elevation of 1670 m (5478 feet) above mean sea level.
Qazigund Bypass Passes T ...
and Banihal by 17 km (from 35 km by road to 17.5 km by train).
The tunnel's average elevation at is below the existing road tunnel. The rail tunnel facilitates transportation during winters when inclement weather forces closure of the road tunnel and Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel
The Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel or Qazigund railway tunnel is an long railway tunnel located in Pir Panjal Range of middle Himalayas in Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India, south of Qazigund town. It is a part of the ...
is India's longest and
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
's third longest railway tunnel (28 km long
Taihang Tunnel
Taihang Tunnel () is the third-longest mountain railway tunnel in northern China, after the New Guanjiao and West Qinling tunnels. It is a double track tunnel that was built to allow the Shijiazhuang–Taiyuan high-speed railway to cross the T ...
in China is the longest and 21 km long Wushaoling Tunnel in Gansu, China is the second longest).
The north portal of the Banihal railway tunnel is at and the south portal is at .
Banihal railway station
Banihal railway station
Banihal railway station (station code: BAHL), a part of Jammu–Baramulla line, is situated in notified area of Banihal in Ramban district, Jammu and Kashmir. It was commissioned on 26 June 2013 and passenger trains run from Banihal to Qazigun ...
is situated at above mean sea level. It was commissioned on 26 June 2013 and passenger trains run from Banihal to Budgam. The railway network in Kashmir from Banihal to
Baramulla
Baramulla (), also known as Varmul () in Kashmiri, is a town and a municipality in the Baramulla district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is also the administrative headquarters of the Baramulla district. It is on the b ...
is now 137 km.
Five trains run daily from Banihal to Baramulla.
Until the 148 km Katra-Banihal section of Jammu–Baramulla line gets constructed, expected to be completed by 2018, people can travel from
Jammu Tawi
Jammu Tawi (station code: JAT) is a railway station in Jammu city in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Background
Jammu Tawi is the largest railway station in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a major railhead for other places in the r ...
or
Udhampur
Udhampur (ˌʊd̪ʱəmpur) is a city and a municipal council in Udhampur district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters of Udhampur District. Named after Raja Udham Singh, it serves as the district capital ...
to Banihal by road and take the train from Banihal to Srinagar. The train service from Banihal To
Budgam
Budgam (), known as Badgom (; ) in Kashmiri language, Kashmiri, is a town in Budgam district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India. In the 2001 census, it was recorded as having a notified area ...
was stopped on 5 August 2019 after the
Abrogation of Article 35A
On 5 August 2019, the Parliament of India voted in favour of a resolution tabled by Home Minister Amit Shah to revoke the temporary special status, or autonomy, granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir—a region ...
, and it hasn’t been resumed for the normal commuters since then it was only resumed once with 4 coaches for a special documentary shoot. Indian Railways resumed train operations in Kashmir valley on Banihal-Baramulla section from 22 February 2021, with two services operating initially.
Historical references
According to the
Rajatarangini
''Rajatarangini'' ("The River of Kings") is a metrical legendary and historical chronicle of the north-western part of India, particularly the kings of Kashmir. It was written in Sanskrit by Kashmiri historian Kalhana in the 12th century CE. The ...
(C-1000-1011 AD) – a chronicle that recorded the history of Kashmir and its Kingdoms and Kings, Banihal was known as ‘Vishalta’ in the 11th Century and was a very narrow mountain valley which was used as an escape route by revolting Princes, rebel Chieftains, and even conspirators from Kashmir.
Banihal is the metamorphosed form of ancient Banashala, an appellation that was in vogue even in the time of Kalhan Pandit (1128 to 1149 CE) who was the first historian to have written the most authentic historical account of Kashmir in his celebrated "Raj Tarangini". He mentions that this mountain pass in Pir Panchal range connecting Shahabad pargana in north to the town in its south(now called Banihal) bore the same name. In 1130 AD, when Jayasimha was the ruler of Kashmir, Bikshachar nick named Bhikshu, took refuge in the castle of Banashala which was held by the then Khasa Chief. The castle itself had been besieged by the Royal troops who flung stones from catapults and showered arrows on the castle. In retaliation Bikshachar and his men rolled down stones/boulders from the castle on the Royal troops. Ultimately he was betrayed by the Khasa lords and killed by Jayasimha's men.
In the 11th Century, a small fort called ‘Bansalla’ also existed below the old Banihal Pass. The Bansalla Fort belonged to the 11th Century ruler of Vishalta the Khasa Lord Bhagika who was the son-in-law of the Lord of Buddha Tikka.
Pandit Sahib Ram, who in his book "Tirthas" copies
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, also known as Abul sharma, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami (14 January 1551 – 22 August 1602), was the grand vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar, from his appointment in 1579 until his death in 1602. He was the au ...
's notes, metamorphosizes the Sanskrit name of village Banihal from Bhanusita or Bhanusata, i.e., rocks of the Sun or land of the Sun.
Aurel Stein
Sir Marc Aurel Stein,
( hu, Stein Márk Aurél; 26 November 1862 – 26 October 1943) was a Hungarian-born British archaeologist, primarily known for his explorations and archaeological discoveries in Central Asia. He was also a professor at ...
on his commentary on
Kalhana
Kalhana ( sa, कल्हण, translit=kalhaṇa) was the author of ''Rajatarangini'' (''River of Kings''), an account of the history of Kashmir. He wrote the work in Sanskrit between 1148 and 1149. All information regarding his life has to be d ...
's Rajatarangini describes the place differently. According to him, Visalata or Banihal must be identified with the valley drained by rivulet Bischlari.
Climate
Gallery
Transport
Road
Banihal is very well-connected by road to other places in Jammu and Kashmir and India by the
NH 44
National Highway 44 (NH 44) is a major north–south National Highway in India and is the longest in the country.
It passes through the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, ...
. The
Jawahar Tunnel
Jawahar Tunnel, also called Banihal Tunnel is a road tunnel in Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Named after the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, it was constructed for round-the-year surface transport between 1954 ...
between Banihal and Qazigund connects the Jammu division with Kashmir division through Banihal. The new
Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel
Banihal Qazigund Road Tunnel is a road tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located in the Lower Himalayas, on National Highway 44 (India), National Highway 44. Its Construction started in 2011 and was ...
will be opened in 2021 which will shorten the distance between Banihal and Qazigund by 16 kilometres.
Rail
Banihal railway station
Banihal railway station (station code: BAHL), a part of Jammu–Baramulla line, is situated in notified area of Banihal in Ramban district, Jammu and Kashmir. It was commissioned on 26 June 2013 and passenger trains run from Banihal to Qazigun ...
is located 2 kilometres from the main town. It is part of the
Jammu–Baramulla line
The Jammu–Baramulla line is a railway track being laid to connect the Kashmir Valley in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir with Jammu railway station and thence to the rest of the country. The 356 km railway track will star ...
. The Katra-Banihal section of the
Jammu–Baramulla line
The Jammu–Baramulla line is a railway track being laid to connect the Kashmir Valley in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir with Jammu railway station and thence to the rest of the country. The 356 km railway track will star ...
will be completed by December 2022 which will allow trains from
Jammu Tawi
Jammu Tawi (station code: JAT) is a railway station in Jammu city in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Background
Jammu Tawi is the largest railway station in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a major railhead for other places in the r ...
to directly reach Banihal and further into Kashmir Valley.
Air
The nearest airport is
Srinagar International Airport
Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport also known as Srinagar Airport and Budgam Airbase, is an international airport serving Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is owned by the Indian Air Force, and the Airports Autho ...
NH 44
National Highway 44 (NH 44) is a major north–south National Highway in India and is the longest in the country.
It passes through the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, ...
Verinag
Verinag ( is a town named after and famous for the Verinag spring and Mughal garden, near Anantnag city in Anantnag district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is a notified area committee with tehsil status (Shahabad Bala V ...
*
Anantnag
Anantnag (/ə'nʌntna:g/ or /-nɑːg/ ), also called Islamabad, is the administrative headquarters of the Anantnag district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is located at a distance of ...
Sangaldan
Sangaldan is a town and block, near Ramban town in the Ramban district of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It falls in the Gool- Gulabgarh area of the Chenab valley.
Transport
A public bus service is available. The neare ...