Faridabad, Haryana

Faridabad is the most populous city in the Indian state of Haryana and a part of Delhi National Capital Region. It is one of the major satellite cities around Delhi and is located 284 kilometres south of the state capital Chandigarh. The river Yamuna forms the eastern district boundary with Uttar Pradesh. The Government of India included it in the second list of Smart Cities Mission on 24 May 2016. Faridabad has been described as the eighth fastest growing city in the world and the third in India by the City Mayors Foundation survey. As per the 2001 Delhi Regional Plan, Faridabad is part of the Delhi Metropolitan Area (DMA).

The newly developed residential and industrial part of Faridabad (Sec. 66 to 89) between the Agra Canal and the Yamuna River is commonly referred to as Greater Faridabad. The area is being developed as a self-sustained sub-city with wide roads, tall buildings, malls, educational institutions, and health and commercial centers. Sectors 66 to 74 are Industrial Sectors, while Sectors 75 to 89 are Residential Sectors.

Faridabad is a major industrial hub of Haryana. 50% of the income tax collected in Haryana is from Faridabad and Gurgaon. Faridabad is famous for henna production from the agricultural sector, while tractors, motorcycles, switch gears, refrigerators, shoes, tyres and garments constitute its primary industrial products.

In 2018, Faridabad was considered by the World Health Organization as the world's second most polluted city. In 2020, Faridabad ranked 10th in the Swachh Survekshan Survey's top ten dirtiest cities in India in 2020.

Faridabad has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under Government of India's flagship Smart Cities Mission by Ministry of Urban Development.

History

The city was founded in 1607 by Sheikh Farīd, treasurer to the Mughal emperor Jahangir, to protect the Grand Trunk Road between Delhi and Agra, and lies in the cultural region of Braj. A project for Pakistani refugee resettlement and light industrial development was initiated in the city in 1950. In Independent India, Faridabad was initially a part of Gurgaon district which was later made an independent district on 15 August 1979.

Nearby Tilpat (then "Tilprastha") was one of the five villages demanded by Pandavas to avert a disastrous war.

Geography

Climate

Faridabad has a borderline hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen ''BSh'') just short of a dry-winter humid subtropical climate (''Cwa''). The city features the three typical Indian seasons - The "hot" or pre-monsoon season lasts from late March to late June and is typified by sweltering and arid conditions that begin very dry but latterly turn humid. The "wet" or monsoon season is sweltering and often dangerously humid with frequent but erratic heavy rainfall. Following the retreat of the monsoon is the "cool" or winter season with warm and sunny weather producing by far the most comfortable conditions.

Demographics

As per 2011 census, Faridabad had a population of 1,414,050 out of which there were 754,542 males and 659,508 females. The literacy rate was 83.83 per cent.
The local languages are Brajbhasha and Haryanvi.

Administration

There are six key administrators of Faridabad.

Faridabad, Palwal, and Nuh district jointly fall under Faridabad division. A Division is headed by a Divisional Commissioner.

Faridabad has a judiciary system headquartered at District Court in Sector 12 which came into existence on 8 December 1980 with Shri A.P. Chaudhary as first District & Sessions Judge, Faridabad. The District Court has its Bar association with more than 2000 lawyers as its members

Economy

The Faridabad Small Industries Association claims that Faridabad and Gurgaon districts account for almost 56% of the income tax collected in Haryana. Faridabad has been selected as one of the hundred Indian cities to be developed as a smart city under PM Narendra Modi's flagship Smart Cities Mission. It has started growing as another technology hub in Haryana nurturing startups and innovation.

Faridabad is the largest exporter of henna (Mehandi) in India. According to the Faridabad Henna Manufacturing Association, the sale of henna from Faridabad is worth an estimated – annually.

Many directorates of different union government ministries are headquartered in Faridabad including Central Ground Water Board, Department of Plant Quarantine and Central Insecticide Lab, and Union Government Offices from Haryana including the Commissioner of Central Excise within Department of Revenue, Government of India, Department of Explosives, and Department of Labour. Institute such as National Council for Cement and Building Materials, a research and development institute under the ministry of commerce, and industry has its head office in Faridabad.

The Apex Central Training Institute of the Department of Revenue, Government of India, National Academy of Customs Excise & Narcotics is located at Sector 29. The National Power Training Institute, an autonomous body under Ministry of Power, Government of India has a corporate office in Faridabad. The city also hosts the National Institute of Financial Management, which serves as training academy for accounting and financial services.

Also headquartered here is NHPC Limited
which is a Central PSU under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, and the largest Hydro-power Company in India.

An office of Geological Survey of India is also located in the NIT-5 area of the city.

Faridabad is the industrial capital of Haryana. As of 2013, out of a total of 11,665 registered working factories in Haryana, 2,499 were in Faridabad which was followed by Gurgaon with 2,116 factories. According to a study, the growth of Faridabad has been declining in the last 2 decades, the share of Faridabad in investment is less than 1% and 93% of investment is in the paper industry. The industrial contribution of Faridabad to Haryana's revenue was declined from 29% to 22% in 2012–13.

Faridabad is home to large-scale companies like Escorts Limited, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd., Havells India Limited, JCB India Limited, Indian Oil (R&D), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Whirlpool India Ltd., ABB Group, Goodyear India Ltd., Bata India Ltd and Eicher Tractor Ltd. and Beebay Kidswear Eyewear e-tailer Lenskart and healthcare startup Lybrate have their headquarters in Faridabad. More than 5,000 units of auto parts producers are based in Faridabad. Lakhani Armaan Group has set up manufacturing facilities at Faridabad (Haryana).

Transportation and connectivity

Rail

Faridabad is on the broad gauge of the New Delhi – Mumbai Line. New Delhi and Hazrat Nizammudin Railway Station is about 25 km away from Old Faridabad railway station. The trains for big cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai are easily accessible from here. Local trains runs between New Delhi to Faridabad.

Metro

Delhi Metro Violet Line connects Faridabad with Delhi. The extension of Violet Line to Faridabad was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 Sepetmeber 2015. There are 9 metro stations in Faridabad corridor of Delhi Metro which are all elevated. Metro has been recently elongated to Ballabhgarh