Shimla District

Shimla

Shimla is name of the capital city of Himachal Pradesh as well as the district. Shimla city (2169 m) was the summer capital of India during British times and one can still see a few influences. It is the most well connected region in Himachal Pradesh and a popular destination for tourists in summers as well as winters. The largest town in Shimla district is Shimla with a population of 1.42 lakh.  Shimla district of present day comprises of 19 erstwhile hill states Kumharsain  Bushahr, Bhaji, Koti, Ratesh, Sangri, Darkoti, Tharoch & Dhadi,, Khaneti & Delath, Dhami, Balson Jubbal , Keothal, Rawingarh,

Weather and Geography

Shimla District Map

Shimla District Map

Average temperature varies between below -10 degrees in December to 32 degrees in peak summer season of May. Annual average precipitation is 1424 mm with up to 370 mm happening in July and August each.

The elevation varies between 300 m in south to 6000 m towards east. Total land area is 5,131 km which is 9.3% of total land area of Himachal Pradesh. It’s coordinates are longitude 77o-0″ and 78o-19″ east and latitude 30o-45″ and 31o-44″ north.

Transport in Shimla

ROAD:
Shimla is the most well connected district in Himachal Pradesh with connectivity by road, rail and air  with road still being the most popular. Biggest town nearby is Chandigarh (119 km), Delhi (380 km) and Manali (280 km). The highway between Chandigarh and Shimla is being expanded to a 4 lane highway (in 2016). The travel time is expected to be significantly shorter once this project is completed.

RAILWAYS:
The nearest meter gauge railway line to Shimla is in Kalka (96 km).  Kalka is further connected to shimla by rail via Kalka – Shimla narrow gauge railway  (762 mm). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and extremely popular with tourists. It was built in 1898 and had 864 bridges and 107 tunnels at time of construction.

AIR:
Nearest airport is at Jubbarhatti, 23 kms from Shimla city. It has daily flights from Delhi and Kullu.

People and Culture

Lifestyle
Urban population of Shimla is 24.8 % even though a lot of rural areas are hardly rural in character any more. The urbanisation of Shimla city and surrounding areas has been rapid with a lot of construction at the cost of green cover and natural beauty. Literacy rate is one of highest in India with male literacy at 95.75 % and female literacy at 93.35 %

Religion
Majority of people in Shimla district follow Hinduism and the culture is pre-dominantly north-Indian.
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Tourist Attractions

Shimla gets a large number of tourists almost all through the year. During summers, it’s a nice retreat from the hot summer plains due to it’s cool weather and frequent rains. In winters, a lot of people visit to enjoy snowfall. Apart from that, following are some tourist attractions in Shimla:

1. Shimla :

The capital city Shimla (between 1950 and 2300 m) is a beautiful place with a  number of tourist spots like Mall Road, Lakkadmandi, Jakhoo Temple, Viceregal Lodge & Botanical Gardens, The Ridge, Summer Hill and many others. Located in the mid hills of the Western Himalaya, the town of Shimla came up in the wake of the ‘Gurkha wars‘ that came to an end in 1815-16.  More details.

2. Sarhan (163 km) :

Sarahan is a small town on way to Kinnaur and is famous for it’s fruit orchards and ancient Bhimakali temple. There are a number of excellent hiking routes in the area and offers great views of mountain peaks like Srikhand Mahadev (5227 m). Sarahan is steeped in legend, hill architecture and remarkable natural beauty.  More Details.

3. Fagu (22 km) :

Fagu apple orchard

Fagu apple orchard

Fagu is a very small town at an altitude of 2450 m famous for it’s spectacular views of the mountains and fruits orchards. It is a nice getaway from Shimla city when it gets too crowded. It is a tiny village that lies along the Hindustan Tibet Road (NH 22) and is astride a mountain saddle. This unusual location gives this village a  magnificent view of both sides of the hill.  More Details.

4. Kufri (16 km) :

Kufri (2510 m) is popular place with local tourists who go there to take mule rides and  skiing. There are some good hiking routes including one to Mahasu Peak. A wide spread of snow peaks, deep valleys and a position as a ‘must do‘ excursion from Shimla have ensured Kufri‘s popularity down the decades. This is a little hamlet in
the Himalayan belt. More Details.

5. Narkanda (64 km) :

Narkanda (2708 m) is popular with tourists for skiing and ancient Hatu Mata temple. Narkanda was once a staging post along the Hindustan Tibet Road and today, this small town is famous for its wide views, forests and as a destination for a quiet holiday in the heart of nature. The area has forests of fir and spruce, with a smattering of maple, aspen and cedar trees. Narkanda has skiing slopes that include basic downhill and slalom runs.  More Details.

6. Chail (43 km) :

Chail was capital of the Patiala State and is famous for world’s highest cricket ground at altitude of of 2250 m, built in 1893. There is also a wildlife sanctuary 3 km from there.  Chail, in the Shivalik belt, is a secluded little haven. As the ‘summer capital’ of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala, the small settlement of Chail came into being when its Maharaja was expelled from the British dominated town of Shimla.  More Details.

7. Tattapani (51 km) :

Tattapani literally translates to hot water and is famous for it’s hot sulfurous springs and Shiv Gufa among pilgrims as well as casual tourists. It is also a good fishing spot.

8. Rampur (80 km) :

Rampur is situated on banks of Satluj river and was once capital of Bushahr, an old princely state. A lot of people visit Rampur in November to attend Lavi Fair. Some tourist spots in the town and nearby are Raghunath Temple, Ayodhya temple, Dumgir Buddhist Temple, Padam Palace, and Narsingh Temple. The town of Rampur is built along the banks of the river Satluj and was the seat of the former princely state of Bushair (Bushahr, Bushehar). More Details.

9. Kotgarh (82 km):

Kotagarh is the place from where apple cultivation first started in Himachal Pradesh and is one of the most important places in India for this purpose.

10. Kharapathar  (77 km) :

Kharapathar (2673 m) is a small village surrounded by deodar forests and apple orchards. It is a good leisure destination for short hikes and relaxing. More Details.

11. Rohru (110 km)

Rohru (1550 m) is a good destination for trout fishing in Pabbar river, hiking apple and orchards. More Details.

Government Resources

Following are phone numbers and other contact details of various government departments which may prove useful for locals as well as tourists visiting Shimla.

Bus Service

  • HRTC Control Room – 0177-2658067
  • Bus Stand Enquiry – 0177-2658765
  • Computer Reservation – 0177-2657113
  • Lakkar Bazar – 0177-2811259

Rail Service

  • Exchange No. 131,  0177-2652915
  • Station Superintendent. – 0177-2652696
  • Railway Enquiry – 0177-2652915

Airport

  • Airport Incharge – 0177-2736835
  • VIP Room – 0177-2736887
  • Indian Airlines Agency – 0177-2811139

Police:

  • S.P. Shimla            – 0177-2656535
  • Addl. S.P.Shimla    – 0177-2803212
  • ASP (HQ) Shimla   – 0177-2652497
  • DSP (H.Q) Shimla  – 0177-2652123
  • Traffic Police           – 0177-2651850
  • Police Control Room – 100

Hospitals

  • IGMC Shimla  – 0177-2803073/2654092
  • DDU Hospital  – 0177-2654071
  • Kamla Nehru Hosp.  – 0177-2625097
  • Ayur. Hosp. Shimla  – 0177-2621753 S
  • Shimla Sanitarium – 0177-202291
  • Indus Hospital  – 0177-2841401
  • Blood Bank (IGMC)  – 0177-2803073
  • Blood Bank (DDUH)  – 0177-2658940

Circuit Houses and Rest Houses in Shimla

Rest House/ Circuit House Location

PWD Division/ Booking Office

STD Code

Phone Number

e-Mail ID

Distance from Booking Office

No. of Suites

Rest House at Tara Devi E.E. Shimla Divn. No.1

0177

2658385

ee-sml1-hp@nic.in

08.00

7

Rest House at Junga E.E. Shimla Divn. No.1

0177

2658385

ee-sml1-hp@nic.in

30.00

7

C/H at Theog E.E. Theog

01783

238376

ee-the-hp@nic.in

Local

1

Rest House at Theog E.E. Theog

01783

238376

ee-the-hp@nic.in

Local

4

Rest House at Fagu E.E. Theog

01783

238376

ee-the-hp@nic.in

07.00

2

Rest House at Matiana E.E. Theog

01783

238376

ee-the-hp@nic.in

13.00

5

Rest House at Sainj E.E. Theog

01783

238376

ee-the-hp@nic.in

20.00

2

Rest House at Deha E.E. Theog

01783

238376

ee-the-hp@nic.in

33.00

3

Rest House at Dhami E.E. Shimla Divn. No.II

01782

233017

ee-sml2-hp@nic.in

08.00

2

Rest House Near Raj Bhawan Shimla Shimla Divn. No.III, Booking by G.A.D. (H.P. Sectt. Shimla-2)

0177

2623880

gadsecy-hp@nic.in

Local Chhota Shimla

29

Rest House at Chopal E.E. Chopal

01783

260033

ee-cho-hp@nic.in

Local

6

Rest House at Nerwa E.E. Chopal

01783

260033

ee-cho-hp@nic.in

26.00

10

Rest House at Kupvi E.E. Chopal

01783

260033

ee-cho-hp@nic.in

86.00

4

Circuit House at Rohru SDM Rohru

01781

240009

sdmroh-shi-hp@nic.in

Local.

7

Rest House at Rohru E.E. Rohru

01781

240087

ee-roh-hp@nic.in

Local.

9

Rest House at Sungri E.E. Rohru

01781

240087

ee-roh-hp@nic.in

29.00

2

Rest House at Tikkar E.E. Rohru

01781

240087

ee-roh-hp@nic.in

28.00

4

Rest House at Bagi E.E. Rohru

01781

240087

ee-roh-hp@nic.in

39.00

4

Rest House at Khadrala E.E. Rohru

01781

240087

ee-roh-hp@nic.in

49.00

5

Rest House at Hatkoti E.E. Jubbal

01781

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

12.00

7

Rest Houseat Pandranoo E.E. Jubbal

01781

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

29.00

1

Rest House at Bholar E.E. Jubbal

01781

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

28.00

4

Rest House at Mandal E.E. Jubbal

01781

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

33.00

3

Rest House at Jubbal E.E. Jubbal

01781

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

01.00

8

Rest House at Khara Pather E.E. Jubbal

01781

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

13.00

3

Rest House at Kotkhai E.E. Jubbal

01783

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

31.00

8

Rest House at Mandhol E.E. Jubbal

01781

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

25.00

4

Rest House at Kalbog E.E. Jubbal

0177

252004

ee-jub-hp@nic.in

59.00

4

Rest House at Narkanda E.E. Kumarsain

01782

205231

ee-kum-hp@nic.in

65.00

5

Rest House at Kumarsain E.E. Kumarsain

01782

205231

ee-kum-hp@nic.in

Local

10

Rest House at Thanedhar E.E. Kumarsain

01782

205231

ee-kum-hp@nic.in

38.00

2

Rest House at Luri E.E. Kumarsain

01782

205231

ee-kum-hp@nic.in

20.00

2

Rest House at Baragaon E.E. Kumarsain

01782

205231

ee-kum-hp@nic.in

17.00

2

Rest House at Jalog E.E. Kumarsain

01782

205231

ee-kum-hp@nic.in

35.00

4

Rest House at Suni E.E. Kumarsain

01782

205231

ee-kum-hp@nic.in

70.00

4

Circuit House at Rampur E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

02.00

8

Circuit House at Sarahan E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

43.00

5

Rest House at Rampur E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

02.00

5

Rest House at Gaura E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

19.00

2

Rest House at Nirath E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

18.00

2

Rest House at Sarahan (Gharat) E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

38.00

3

Rest House at Daranghati E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

42.00

2

New Rest House at Jeori E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

25.00

4

Old Rest House at Jeori E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

25.00

3

Rest House at Bahli E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

42.00

3

Rest House at Nankhari E.E. Rampur

01782

233017

ee-ram-hp@nic.in

60.00

5

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