Chenani
| Chenani | |
|---|---|
| city | |
  Chenani Location in Jammu and Kashmir, India | |
| Coordinates: 33°02′N 75°17′E / 33.03°N 75.28°ECoordinates: 33°02′N 75°17′E / 33.03°N 75.28°E | |
| Country |
 India |
| State | Jammu and Kashmir |
| District | Udhampur |
| Elevation | 1,062 m (3,484 ft) |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 2,159 |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Urdu |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 182141 |
| Telephone code | 01992 |
| Vehicle registration | JK 14 |
Chenani is a small town and a notified area committee in Udhampur district of Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. India's longest road tunnel, the 9.2 km long Chenani-Nashri Tunnel or Patnitop Tunnel is being constructed about 2 km from Chenani town to reduce the distance from Jammu to Srinagar and reduce traffic jams on NH-1A that occur due to snowfall and avalanche in winter at Patnitop.[1]
Geography
Chenani is located at 33°02′N 75°17′E / 33.03°N 75.28°E[2] at a distance of 90 km north-east of Jammu city. It has an average elevation of 1,062 metres (3,487 feet). River Tawi flows through Chenani town. It is connected well by road. NH 1A which connects Kashmir to rest of country passes through Chenani. Buses from Jammu take about 3 to 4 hours to reach Chenani. Mini buses are also available for Chenani from Udhampur. The nearest railway station from Chenani is Udhampur, 25 km away.
Chenani is the gateway to famous Sudhmahadev, Gourikund and Mantalai shrines that can be reached by bus or taxi from Chenani.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census,[3] Chenani had a population of 2159, with males constituting 55% of the population. Chenani has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the Indian national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 85% and female literacy of 73%. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
Until 1947, Chenani principality was ruled by Chandel (Antahal) Rajputs who came to this place in the 9th century AD from Kot Kalhur, Bilaspur Himachal Pradesh. The narrative goes like this that natives of this region approached Raja Bir Chand of Bilaspur and requested him to save them from the atrocities of local Ranas. Raja Bir Chand sent his younger brother Raja Gambhir Chand along with army to help the natives. On reaching Chenani, Raja Gambhir Chand made Ranas to leave the place and established an independent State which continued till 1947. During this period 52 Rajas of this clan of Rajputs ruled this erstwhile princely state.
Raja KEDAR CHAND, Raja of Chenani, married daughter of Maj.-Gen. HH Maharaja Sir Pratap Singhji Sahib Bahadur of Jammu and Kashmir, and had issue, four sons. Tikka Jagdeep Chand, died young,Raja Ram Chand, Major Rajkumar Jai Chand and Rajkumar Tirath Chand.
Raja RAM CHAND, Raja of Chenani, married Kunwarani of Shahzadpur state in Himachal Pradesh.
Major Rajkumar Jai Chand, he was a great polo player, and had represented the Jammu and Kashmir polo team in many tournaments with HH Maharaja Hari Singh; married Kunwarani Kamla Kumari, daughter of Raja Basant Singh, Raja of Basantpur state in Himachal Pradesh, and had issue, one son and one daughter.
Kanwar Balbhadra Chand, educated at Presentation Convent College, Srinagar and Burnhall Cambridge School, Srinagar and then at the College of Engineering, Pune, he joined the Public Works Department in 1957, and worked for the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir in various capacities until he retired in 1991 as Jt. Dev. Commissioner (Works); his services were recognized by the State Government with a Medal and a certificate of Merit; he was of a religious and spiritual mind and painstakingly reconstructed the temple of the family deity, Mata Bhagwatiji, after the temple was gutted in a fire at Chenani Palace; married Kunwarani Prabha Kumari of Bakhatgarh State in Madhya Pradesh, and had issue, two sons and one daughter. He died 27 August 2011.
Kanwar Ranvijay Chand, educated at National Institute of Technology Srinagar; married Kunwarani Namrata Chand Sahiba, daughter of Kunwar Hitendra Dev Singh of Poonch, and his wife, Kunwarani Ravi Prabha, and has issue, two sons.
Kanwar Harshvardhan Chand, educated at Maharaja Hari Singh Agricultural Collegiate School, Jammu and presently pursuing Engineering from Jaypee University of Information and Technology, Simla.
Kanwar Jaivardhan Chand, educated at Maharaja Hari Singh Agricultural Collegiate School, Jammu and presently pursuing Engineering from Jaypee University of Information and Technology, Simla.
Kanwar Digvijay Chand, educated at the National Institute of Technology Srinagar, married Maharajkumari Minakshi Kumari Sahiba [Kunwar Rani Minakshi Kumari of Chenani], born 13 March 1968 at Bombay, daughter of HH Maharana Raghubir Singh of Rajpipla, and his wife, HH Maharani Rukmani Devi Sahiba, and has issue, one son and one daughter.
Kanwar Ranajay Chand, born 11 March 1993, educated at Jasudben M.L. School in Mumbai and currently (2011) studying Politics and International Relations at Royal Holloway, University of London. Kumari Dharini Kumari, educated at Podar International School. Baisa Ratan Kumari, married 10 December 1987, Thakur Surendra Singh of Shahpura, and has issue, two sons. Kanwarani Kanta Kumari
Rajkumar Tirath Chand, married Kunwarani Sahiba of Kalhota state in Jammu and Kashmir.Now the Antahals are recognized as Anthal and the mail of Anthals held in April at Jalandara mata mandir,chenani,near girls high school.
Chenani-Nashri road tunnel
A 9.2 km long tunnel (Chenani-Nashri Tunnel) is being constructed about 2 km from Chenani town. The tunnel will be the India's longest road tunnel when completed. It will reduce the distance from Chenani to Nashri by 31 km and reduce traffic jams on NH-1A that occur due to snowfall and avalanche in winter at Patnitop. About 2 km of the tunnel had been excavated by April 2012[4] and about 50% of the length had been excavated by January 2013.[5]
In addition to the main road tunnel, there will be a smaller parallel escape tunnel for emergency services and extraction of smoke and persons in case of fire and accident.
The Southern portal (end) of the tunnel is at 33°02′47″N 75°16′45″E / 33.0463°N 75.2793°E and the Northern portal (end) of the tunnel is at coordinates 33°07′43″N 75°17′34″E / 33.1285°N 75.2928°E. When the tunnel is completed, the highway will no longer pass through Patnitop. The tunnel will reduce the length of the highway by 31 km and the highway will bypass Patnitop.
A new emergency hospital with capacity of 100 beds is also being completed at Chenani. A military hospital by Indian Army also constructed
References
- ↑ http://www.constructionweekonline.in/article-7845-chenani_nashri_tunnel_completes_2_kms_excavation
- ↑ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Chenani
- ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
- ↑ http://www.constructionweekonline.in/article-7845-chenani_nashri_tunnel_completes_2_kms_excavation
- ↑ http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130205/j&k.htm