Capital of Punjab (Chandigarh): History, Economy, Tourism

Capital of Punjab: The capital of Punjab is Chandigarh. Panjab is derived from the Chandi Mandir, an ancient temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Chandi. This city, designed by the renowned architect Le Corbusier, holds significance as a planned urban center and serves as the joint capital for both Punjab and Haryana states in India.

In this article, we have covered everything you need to know about the Capital of Punjab – Chandigarh, History, Economy, Tourism, and many many more. We have also covered the many frequently asked questions like Why Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and Haryana, etc.

Let’s dive right in.

Capital of Punjab

Capital of Punjab – Chandigarh

• Chandigarh is a city, district as well and union territory of India.
• Bordered by Haryana in the east, and Punjab in the south, west & north.
• It is well-known for its urban design & architecture.
• Le Corbusier, a Swiss-French architect designed Chandigarh.
• Chandigarh is one of the earliest planned cities of post-independent India.
• It is ranked among the highest on the Human Development Index (HDI).
• In one of the happiness indexes published in 2015, Chandigarh was ranked as the happiest city in India.
• Chandigarh’s official language- English. Hindi is spoken by a majority of the people, followed by Punjabi.

Capital City of Punjab – Facts

Here is some more facts about the Capital City of Punjab – Chandigrah:

Attribute	Details
Location	Northern part of India
State/Union Territory	Chandigarh (Union Territory)
Year of Establishment	1966
Planned by	Le Corbusier, the Swiss-French architect
Capital of	Punjab and Haryana (Union Territory shared)
Named After	Derived from Chandi Mandir, a nearby temple
Significance	Designed as a modern, planned city
Area	114 sq km
Population (as of 2021)	Approximately 1.15 million
Official Language	Hindi, Punjabi, and English
Major Attractions	Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Capitol Complex
Airport	Chandigarh International Airport (IXC)
Railway Station	Chandigarh Junction

History of Chandigarh

The following is the history of Chandigrah:

• Pre-Independence: Historically part of the princely state of Punjab.
• Post-Independence and Partition (1947): Split between India and Pakistan; the Indian part became the state of Punjab.
• Reorganization of States (1966): Chandigarh chosen as the capital for both Punjab and the newly created state of Haryana; declared a Union Territory.
• Planning and Design (1950s-1960s): Designed by Le Corbusier for a modern, well-organized city.
• Formation of Union Territory (1966): Chandigarh becomes a Union Territory with the reorganization of states.
• Post-Independence Development: Chandigarh grows as a major urban center, known for its planned layout, architecture, and serving as a symbol of India’s post-independence progress.

Post-1947 partition, Lahore’s inclusion in Pakistan led to the need for a new capital for East Punjab in India. Jawaharlal Nehru chose to create a modern city, Chandigarh. Chief Minister Partap Singh Kairon and Chief Secretary Edward Nirmal Mangat Rai oversaw its establishment in 1949, designed by Albert Mayer. Chandigarh, formed from Puadhi-speaking villages, replaced Shimla as the temporary capital until its completion.

Chandigrah as a Capital City

Here are the more facts about Chandigrah:

Famous Places in Chandigarh
1. The Palace of Assembly
2. Open Hand Monument
3. Sector-42 Hockey Stadium
4. Gandhi Bhavan at Panjab University
5. Rock Garden of Chandigarh
6. Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park (Chandigarh IT Park)

Details
1. The Palace of Assembly – Houses Punjab and Haryana Legislative Assemblies. Designed by Le Corbusier. UNESCO World Heritage Site (2016).
2. Open Hand Monument – Symbolic structure by Le Corbusier, emblem of Chandigarh.
3. Sector-42 Hockey Stadium – Second-largest terrace hockey stadium globally, with a capacity of 30,000.
4. Gandhi Bhavan at Panjab University – Landmark center for the study of Mahatma Gandhi’s words and works.
5. Rock Garden of Chandigarh – Sculpture garden built from industrial and home waste, spread over 40 acres.
6. Chandigarh IT Park – Hub for IT businesses, attracting major firms like Quark, Infosys, and TechMahindra.

City Information
Nickname – The City of Beauty
Country – India
Formation – 7 October 1953
Capital – Chandigarh
Chief Secretary – Dharam Pal, IAS
Population (2011) – 1,055,450 (31st)
Area – 114 km² (35th)
Density – 9,262/km² (23,990/sq mi)
Official Language – English
GDP (2023-24) – ₹0.49 trillion (US$6 billion) (25th)
Per Capita GDP – ₹349,000 (US$4,400) (4th)
Time Zone – UTC+05:30 (IST)
ISO 3166 code – IN-CH
Vehicle Registration – CH
HDI (2017–2018) – 0.827 (Very High, 2nd)
Literacy (2023) – 86.05% (8th)
Sex Ratio (2011) – 818♀/1000 ♂ (34th)
Website – chandigarh.gov.in

Symbols
Bird – Indian Grey Hornbill
Flower – Dhak
Fruit – Mango
Mammal – Indian Grey Mongoose
Tree – Mangifera Indica

Capital of Haryana and Panjab

The capital of Haryana is Chandigarh, and the capital of Punjab is also Chandigarh. Chandigarh serves as a Union Territory and is the shared capital for both Haryana and Punjab. The city was designated as the capital for both states during the reorganization of states in 1966.
Famous for Parks – Chandigarh

The following points describe how Chandigrah became the Capital of two states?

1. Background: Before 1966, Punjab was a larger state that included the present-day state of Haryana.
2. Reorganization of States (1966): Due to linguistic and administrative reasons, Punjab was reorganized in 1966, and the new state of Haryana was created by separating the eastern part of Punjab. At that time, Chandigarh was already under construction and was planned as a modern city to serve as the capital.
3. Selection of Chandigarh: Rather than creating a new capital for each state, Chandigarh was chosen as the capital for both Haryana and Punjab. This decision was made to avoid disputes over selecting a new capital, to maintain continuity, and to provide an equitable solution for both states.
4. Current Status: Chandigarh, though located geographically in Haryana, is a Union Territory and serves as the shared capital for both Haryana and Punjab. The administration of Chandigarh is under the direct governance of the central government of India.

Economy of Punjab

Here is the diverse economy with contributions from agriculture, industry, and services. Here are some key aspects of Punjab’s economy:

1. Punjab is a collection of tourism, music, film and culinary practices.
2. Punjab is a predominantly agrarian society and is also known as “granary of India”.
3. Soil of Punjab is very fertile for the growth of vegetables, fruits, rice and sugar cane.
4. Around 11 percent of the rice of India is produced in Punjab.
5. Since Green Revolution, economy of Punjab has been dependent mostly on agriculture.
6. Other important industries of Punjab include scientific instruments, sports, electrical goods, agricultural goods etc.

Demographics of Punjab

Population

Chandigarh had a population of 1,055,450 as per the Census of 2011, giving it a density of about 9,252 (7,900 in 2001) persons per square kilometre. Males are 55% & females are 45% of the population. The Child-sex Ratio is 880 females per 1000 males. 86.77% is the literacy rate.

Language

The only official language of Chandigarh is English. While a majority of its population speaks in Hindi (67.76%), Punjabi is spoken by 22.02%.

Religion

Religion	Percent
Hinduism	80.71%
Sikhism	13.11%
Islam	4.87%
Christianity	0.83%
Others	0.4%

Government and Politics in Chandigrah

Administrator of the Union Territory

Article 239 of the Constitution of India talks about the administration of the Union Territories by the President with the help of an administrator. Since 1984 the Governor of Punjab has served concurrently as the administrator of Chandigarh. Banwarilal Purohit has been Chandigarh’s administrator since September 2021.

Politics

Being a union territory, Chandigarh is not entitled to a state-level election. The Central government directly controls it. 1 seat for Chandigarh is allocated in the Lok Sabha elections held every 5 years.

Civic Administration

The city is governed by a civic administration or local government headed by Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra & Mayor Sarbjit Kaur. It has 35 wards represented by 35 elected councillors & also nominates 9 councillors.

Cleanliness

In 2016, Chandigarh was declared as the 2nd cleanest city of India. However, in 2021, Chandigarh fell 66 positions in the list of cleanest cities in India.

FAQs on Capital of Punjab

1. Is Amritsar, the capital of Punjab?

Punjab’s capital is Chandigarh & not Amritsar. Amritsar is just one of the cities in Punjab. After Haryana & Punjab became two different states in 1966, both the states wanted Chandigarh as their capital. The Central Government declared Chandigarh as a union territory & decided to make Chandigarh a joint capital of Haryana & Punjab until there was a solution.

2. Which is the capital of Haryana?

Chandigarh is the capital of Haryana as well as Punjab. It is a city, district & a union territory of India as well.

3. What borders Chandigarh?

Chandigarh is bordered by Haryana in the east, Punjab in the south, west & north.

4. How did the name Chandigarh came into being?

Origin of the name Chandigarh comes from Chandi Mandir, an ancient temple located near the city. It is devoted to Hindu goddess Chandi.

5. What is Chandigarh known for?

Chandigarh is well-known for its urban design & architecture. Apart from this, it was one of the is well-known for its urban design & architecture. It is also popular for its green belts & tourist parks.

6. Why Chandigarh is capital of Punjab and Haryana?

After Haryana and Punjab were split into two different states in 1966, Chandigarh became the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana. This decision aimed to provide a neutral and equitable solution, avoiding disputes over the selection of a new capital.