Roorkee, Educational city in Haridwar district, India
Roorkee is a university town in Haridwar district in Uttarakhand, positioned at the foot of the Sivalik Hills. The town stretches along the Ganges Canal, with residential neighborhoods and campus grounds forming the central axis.
A small hamlet was founded here in 1824 when work on the Ganges Canal began. Two decades later, the first engineering school in Asia opened, turning the place into a center for technical education.
The place takes its name from Rauree Ka Kalan, a village from the early 19th century. Local markets along the main roads show daily life where residents move between university routines and rural traditions.
The railway connection on the Howrah-Amritsar line brings travelers from Delhi or the mountains, while long-distance buses from Haridwar or Dehradun stop here regularly. Small shops and eateries cluster around the station and main junctions.
In 1851, the first freight train in India ran from here to Piran Kaliyar, an early milestone in railway history. This short route served as a test run for larger rail projects across the country.
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