Jalandhar Cantonment

Jalandhar Cantonment is a cantonment town in Jalandhar District in the Indian state of Punjab.

It is one of the oldest cantonments in India, the construction of which was started in 1848 after the first Anglo-Sikh War, when the British settled in Northern India. The original scope of this cantonment was limited to troops to quell disturbances from adjoining States for the maintenance of peace and order. In 1920 the cantonment was the scene of mutiny by Irish soldiers, who took down the Union Flag and replaced it by the flag of the Irish Republic, proclaimed at the time in Dublin (See The Connaught Rangers#Mutiny in India, 1920).

Jalandhar CantonmentThe departure of British from India and subsequent partition of the country changed the complexion of the Cantonment. It has gained tremendous importance on account of its nearness to the border with Pakistan. The Cantonment is located between latitude 30° 18' and longitude 75° 37' on the southwest and at a distance of 2 km from Cantonment Railway Station and 5 km from City Railway Station. It is situated beside Grand Trunk Road at a distance of 89 km from Amritsar and 371 km from Delhi. It covers an area of 5.87 square miles (15.2 km²). It is on Amritsar-Delhi Broad Gauge Main Line. A Class-I airfield at Adampur is situated at a distance of 19 km. The airfield is linked with Jalandhar Cantonment by rail and road. It has a Recruiting Office located on Kothi #1. This Recruiting Office was responsible for enlisting the soldiers for Army, Navy and Air Force. The first Recruiting Officer who held this post until 1952 was Col. Dilbagh Singh Minhas of Jallandhar Doab.

Demographics

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[1] Jalandhar Cantonment had a population of 40,521. Males constitute 59% of the population and females 41%. Jalandhar Cantonment has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 85%, and female literacy is 75%. In Jalandhar Cantonment, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.

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