Vikasnagar is a city and a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in Dehradun district 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 ...

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

Uttarakhand Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...

. Vikas Nagar is also a

tehsil A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

in Dehradun district It is also known as Pachawadoon (Western Doon) and is the second financial and economic hub of Dehradun district, after the city of

Dehradun Dehradun () is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislative As ...

. Vikasnagar was earlier known for its tea gardens, exporting tea to other countries. But now due to years of constant neglect and lack of skilled labor, it has lost its reputation. Vikasnagar is also famous for

Basmati rice Basmati, , is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.

and fruits like

litchi Lychee (US: ; UK: ; ''Litchi chinensis''; ) is a monotypic taxon and the sole member in the genus ''Litchi'' in the soapberry family, '' Sapindaceae''. It is a tropical tree native to Southeast and Southwest China (the Guangdong, Fujian, Yu ...

and Dussehri mangoes. Vikasnagar, along with

Herbertpur Herbertpur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Dehradun district Pachhhwadoon in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Uttarakhand. Geography Herbertpur is located on the bank of river Asan and the name of the place is on the name ...

, is the chief marketplace area for the people of

Jaunsar-Bawar Jaunsar-Bawar is a hilly region in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, northern India. It is located in the north-west of Dehradun district, along the border with the state of Himachal Pradesh. Ethnically, Jaunsar-Bawar comprises two regions, inh ...

Etymology

Vikasnagar was formerly known as Chauhadpur Nardidih. After independence, several

hydroelectric power Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

projects were laid in the region because of which the region witnessed a spurt in growth and development activities. Hence the name was changed to Vikasnagar from Chauhadpur by the then Union Cabinet Minister for Rehabilitation (former Minister for Defence Organisation), the Late Shri Mahavir Tyagi. Shri Tyagi was at this time, in 1965, also the Member of Parliament from the area and had represented the area since well before independence at the provincial level and, in the post-independence years, at the parliamentary level; his decision was immediately accepted. The name was considered appropriate also in view of various development activities in the area such as the

Dakpathar Barrage The Dakpathar Barrage is a concrete barrage across the Yamuna River adjacent to Dakpathar in Uttarakhand, India. In a run-of-the-river scheme, the barrage serves to divert water into the East Yamuna Canal for hydroelectric power production at ...

and the Dhakrani, Kulhaal, Dhalipur, and Chibro powerhouses.

Geography

It has an average elevation of 452 metres (1,483 feet). Vikasnagar lies along the river

Yamuna The Yamuna (Hindustani language, Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in List of major rivers of India, India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a ...

, nearly 40 km north west of Dehradun, the capital of

. Vikasnagar and adjoining

and

Dakpathar Dakpathar, also spelled Dakpatthar and Dak Pather is a small hill town situated in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand, India. It is on the left bank of the Yamuna River The Yamuna ( Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest t ...

are collectively known as "Gateway to Jaunsar" since they form the last plain before

Jaunsar Bawar Jaunsar-Bawar is a hilly region in Garhwal division of Uttarakhand, northern India. It is located in the north-west of Dehradun district, along the border with the state of Himachal Pradesh. Ethnically, Jaunsar-Bawar comprises two regions, inh ...

Transport

Vikasnagar is connected to Dehradun by the NH72. It can be reached by cars and buses. The nearest railway station is in Dehradun (40 kilometers). Nearest airport is

Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun Airport , also known as Jolly Grant Airport, is a domestic airport serving Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, India, located 25 km south of the city. Commercial operations began on 30 March 2008, after a runway extension to accommo ...

, Dehradun (60 Kilometers). NH123 passes through Vikasnagar which starts from Delhi and reaches Yamnotri which is the originating place of

holy river Sacred waters are sacred natural sites characterized by tangible topographical land formations such as rivers, lakes, springs, reservoirs, and oceans, as opposed to holy water which is water elevated with the sacramental blessing of a cleric. T ...

Demographics

, Vikasnagar had a population of 12,485. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Vikasnagar has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 79%, and female literacy is 73%. 12% of the population is under 6 years The city borders on Jaunsar and

Himachal Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...

Jaunsari Jaunsari may refer to: * Jaunsari people, an ethnic group of northern India * Jaunsari language Jaunsari () is a Western Pahari language of northern India spoken by the Jaunsari people in the Chakrata and Kalsi blocks of Dehradun district in t ...

Garhwali Garhwali may refer to: * Garhwali people, an ethno-linguistic group who live in northern India * Garhwali language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by Garhwali people * anything from or related to: **Garhwal division, a region in state of Uttarakhan ...

and Himachali are most spoken dialects in and around the city.

Places to visit

The chief tourist spots in Vikasnagar are

, Katta Pather,

Gautam Ashram Gautam Ashram () was a gurukul of the ancient Indian philosopher Gautama. It is located at the west bank of Khiroi river in Brahmpur village of Jale block of Darbhanga district in Bihar. It is only at a seven kilometres distance from Kamtaul rai ...

, Koti Dam, Ashoka Rock, Gurudwara Bhangani Sahib (Himachal Pradesh,) MahaKali Mandir, and Shani Dham. The nearest hill station is

Chakrata Chakrata is a cantonment town and also a sub district/tehsil, in Dehradun district. in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It lies between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 2118 m, 98 km from the state capital, Dehradun. Chakra ...

, which is nearly 45 km by road from Vikasnagar. It lies close to

Paonta Sahib Paonta Sahib is an industrial town of Himachal Pradesh in India. It is located in the south of Sirmaur district, on National Highway 72 ( New NH 7). Paonta Sahib is an important place of worship for Sikhs, hosting a large Gurdwara named Gurudwa ...

and Dehradun.

References

External links

* {{Municipalities of Uttarakhand Cities and towns in Dehradun district