Infrastructure

In hill region, road transport has a direct impact on the social and economic life of the people living in the remote hills as most articles of the daily life are transported from distinct plain areas by road. In the district there is only one railway terminus at Kotdwar, a town situated in the foothill region of the district so the road is the only way of major transportation with in the district. As per statistics available for year 1996-97, the length of total roads with in the district is 2,793 km. out of which 2,379 km. is maintained by P.W.D. and remaining roads by other agencies like local bodies, forest department, D.G.B.R. etc.  The length of road per thousand sq. km. is 518 km., which is very low in comparison of vast geographical area of the district. Due to the forest conservation act, a number of roads in the district are incomple.

ROAD TRANSPORT STATUS (1996-97)

SOURCE: District Statistical Booklet year 1998

COMMUNICATION

In the social life of the people, Communication has always played an important role in connecting people. In the district there were a number of traditional means and ways for communication like ‘Yatra’, ‘Phikval’, ‘Aauji’, ’Fairs’ etc. because of its geographical inaccessibility. Today, postal services has major network in the district, connecting most of the villages in remote localities. In recent years telecommunication facilities has drastically increased in the district with establishment of new telephone exchanges in rural & remote places and with upgradation of old exchanges in urban areas. In order to explore and exploit the vast opportunities offered by Information Technology in the field of communication with E-mail, Internet etc., a number of Cyber Cafes are serving in town areas of the district.

COMMUNICATION STATUS (1996-97)

SOURCE: District Statistical Booklet year 1998

EDUCATION

Education is a prerequisite for progress and development. And, in the order of priorities, Education has been accorded a high priority as an integral part of developmental process, which results in the greater number of literates and quantitative expansion of educational facilities with emphasis on qualitative improvement.   In the district, there are 236 intermediate colleges, 263 junior high schools and 1591 primary schools out of which mostly are in rural areas. In higher education, a university named as ‘H.N.B. Garhwal University’ at Srinagar  with its two campus colleges named as ‘Birla Parisar, Srinagar’ and ‘Swami Ramthirth Parisar, Pauri’ is serving in the district. Three Government degree colleges at Jahrikhal, Bedikhal & Chobbatakhal and one postgraduate college at Kotdwar are also affiliated to this university.

In technical education there are two polytechnic institutions situated at Srinagar & Thalnadi and seven Industrial Training institutes with two woman units at Srinagar & Jahrikhal, which provide training in different engineering branches and technical trades. To fulfill the requirement of higher technical education, an engineering college was established in 1990 at ‘Ghurdauri’ at a distance of 15 km. from district head quarter. This college is affiliated to H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar. Making a modest beginning by offering degree course in Electronics & Communication Engineering, the college has emerged as a leading institution offering degree courses in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computer Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (1997-98)

SOURCE: District Statistical Booklet year 1998

HEALTH

At the district head quarter, there are one district hospital, one women hospital, one T.B. clinic, and one leprosy clinic. There is a joint hospital at Kotdwar and a base hospital at Srinagar. In these hospitals all-important medical facilities such as Radiology, Pathology, Child Care, Orthopedics, Anesthesia, Surgery etc. are available. Besides these, there are 15 primary health centers, 17 additional primary health centers, 39 aurvedic hospitals/dispensaries, 83 allopathic hospitals/dispensaries, 11 homeopathic hospitals/dispensaries, 214 family welfare & child care center/sub-centers. 

HEALTH SERVICES (1997-98)

    SOURCE: District Statistical Booklet year 1998

EELECTRIFICATION

In the district, 2182 villages out of 3137 inhabited villages are electrified as per data available for year 1997-98. There are thirteen 33/11 KV electric sub-stations situated at Srinagar, Ransi (Pauri), Buakhal, Satpuli, Syunsi, Dhumakot, Jahrikhal, Cowdy, Dugadda, Kotdwar, Balbhadrapur, Naugaokhal and Srikot Gangnali. For electricity supply, there are two 132/11 KV electic sub-stations, one of 45 MVA capacity at Srinagar and one of 40 MVA capacity at Kotdwar. There are around 1738 electric distribution transformers in the district.

ELECTRIFICATION (1997-98)

SOURCE: District Statistical Booklet year 1998