Introduction
Metropolis in Punjab, India
This article is about the city. For the district, see Amritsar district.
Metropolis in Punjab, IndiaAmritsar
Amritsar (Punjabi)MetropolisGolden TempleGurdwara Baba AtalMaharaja Ranjit Singh Chowk in Heritage StreetJallianwala BaghBhagwan Valmiki Tirath SthalRam Bagh PalaceGobindgarh FortPartition MuseumNicknames: 
Nicknames
The Holy CityAmbarsarSifti Da GharGuru NagariGolden City
MapAmritsarLocation of the city center in PunjabShow map of PunjabAmritsarAmritsar (India)Show map of IndiaCoordinates: 31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.64°N 74.86°E / 31.64; 74.86Country IndiaState PunjabDistrictAmritsarEstablished1574Founded byGuru Ram DasGovernment • TypeMunicipality • BodyAmritsar Municipal Corporation • MayorJatinder Singh Bhatia
(AAP) • Deputy CommissionerDalwinderjit Singh, IASArea • Total139 km2 (54 sq mi) • Rank2nd in PunjabPopulation (2011) • Total1,159,227 • Density8,340/km2 (21,600/sq mi) • Metro rank44thDemonym(s)Amritsariya, Ambarsariya, AmritsariTime zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)PIN143-001Telephone code91 183 XXX XXXXVehicle registrationPB-01 (commercial vehicles), PB-02, PB-17, PB-89Websiteamritsarcorp.com
Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district. It is situated 217 km (135 mi) north-west of Chandigarh, and 455 km (283 mi) north-west of New Delhi. It is 28 km (17.4 mi) from the India-Pakistan border, and 47 km (29 mi) north-east of Lahore, Pakistan.
According to the 2011 census, the city had a population of 1,132,383. It is one of the ten municipal corporations in the state; Karamjit Singh Rintu is serving as the mayor of the city. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Amritsar is the second-most populous city in Punjab and the most populous metropolitan region in the state, with a population of roughly 2 million. Amritsar is the centre of the Amritsar Metropolitan Region.
Amritsar is the economic capital of Punjab. It is a major tourist centre with nearly a hundred thousand daily visitors. The city has been chosen as one of the heritage cities for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) program of the Government of India. It is home to the Golden Temple, the holiest site and most-visited gurudwara in Sikhism. The city is also known for its food, and for the manufacture of wooden chessboards and chess pieces, and the Jadau Jewelry.
Etymology
[edit]
The city takes it take from Amṛta Sarovara (Sanskrit for Pool of Nectar) which is the pool that surrounds Golden Temple at Gurdwara Shri Harmindir Sahib .
The term Amritsar was previously sometimes known as Rāmdāspur after Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru who is credited with founding the city. The name Amritsar was often mispronounced as Ambarsar in rural dialects; the latter name has since become a colloquial term for the city.
Mythology
[edit]
The Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal situated at Amritsar is believed to be the ashram site of Maharishi Valmiki, the writer of the Ramayana. As per the Ramayana, Sita gave birth to Lava and Kusha, sons of Rama at Ramtirath ashram. Numerous people visit Ramtirath Temple, Located 12 Km west of Amritsar on Chogawan road, dates back to the period of Ramayana, Rishi Valmiki's hermitage. at the annual fair. The nearby cities Lahore and Kasur were believed to be founded by Lava and Kusha, respectively. It is believed that during the ashvamedha yajna by Rama, Lava and Kusha caught the ritual horse and tied Hanuman to a tree near to today's Durgiana Temple.[citation needed]
History
[edit]
Founding of Amritsar city[edit]
Overhead panoramic view artwork of Amritsar, c. 1850s–1890s
In the Sikh tradition, Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru, is credited with founding the holy city of Amritsar in 1574. Two versions of stories exist regarding the land where Guru Ram Das settled. In one, based on a Gazetteer record, the land was purchased, with Sikh donations, for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung.
According to historical Sikh records, the site was chosen by Guru Amar Das and called Guru Da Chakk. The latter guru had asked Ram Das to find land to start a new town, and to create a man-made pool as its central point. After his coronation, Guru Ram Das in 1574, who faced hostile opposition from the sons of Guru Amar Das, founded the town; it was named after him as "Ramdaspur". He first completed the pool, and built his new official Guru centre and home next to it. He invited merchants and artisans from other parts of India to settle into the new town with him. The town expanded during the time of Guru Arjan Dev, financed by donations and constructed by volunteers. The town grew to become the city of Amritsar. After the son of Guru Ram Das built the gurdwara Harmandir Sahib, the pool area developed further as a temple complex. In 1604 Guru Ram Das's son installed the scripture of Sikhism inside the new temple.
The period and achievements of construction between 1574 and 1604 are described in Mahima Prakash Vartak, a semi-historical Sikh hagiographic text likely composed in 1741. It is the earliest known document dealing with the lives of all the ten Gurus.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh listening to Guru Granth Sahib being recited near the Akal Takht and Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India. Painting by August Schoefft, 1850
In 1762 and 1766–1767, Ahmad Shah of the Durrani Empire invaded the Sikh Confederacy. He besieged Amritsar, massacred the populace, and destroyed the city.
Old walled city[edit]
Photo of an Amritsar street scene, by Felice Beato, c. 1858–59
During the reign of the Sikh Empire, in 1822 Maharaja Ranjit Singh fortified the city, starting from a wall at Katra Maha Singh area.
Among the Katras (fortified residential societies) constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh within the city were the following:
Katra Moti Ram
Katra Kanwar Kharak Singh (also known as 'Katra Nikkai')
Katra Fateh Singh Kallianwala
Katra Ahluwalia
Map of Amritsar, with the city perimeter captioned in Perso-Arabic script marking the twelve historical gates of the old city-wall, ca.1831–35
Later, Sher Singh continued with construction of the city wall, adding twelve gates. He also had built a fort named Dhoor Kot; its fortification were yards broad and 7 yards high. The circumference of the walled city was around five miles. The twelve gates constructed during this era were known as (including later renamings):
Lahori Darwaza (Lahori Gate)
Khazana Darwaja (Khazana Gate)
Deori Hakiman (Gate Hakeema/Darwaza Hakeema Wala)
Gilwali Darwaza – no longer extant
Darwaza Rangar Nanglian (Gate Bhagatawala) – no longer extant
Darwaza Ramgarhian (Chattiwind Gate) – later restored
Darwaza Ahluwalia (Darwaza Gheo Mandi) – was no longer extant but has since been restored
Doburji Darwaza (Sultanwind Gate or Delhi Darwaza)
Deorhi Kalan
Darwaza Rambagh
Deorhi Shazada (Hathi Darwaza/Darwaza Sehzada)
Darwaza Lohgarh – no longer extant
When the British annexed Punjab in 1849, Amritsar was a walled city. The British built a thirteenth gate in 1866 known as Hall Gate, Neighborhood in Amritsar, Punjab.
Map of Amritsar with the locations of Sikh sites labelled, as published in the Mahan Kosh (1930)
The British rulers would later demolish some of the walls and gates or reconstruct some. An entire new wall of the city was completed in 1885. Many surviving gates have since been renamed and no longer bear their mid-19th century names, while others have since been demolished.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre[edit]
The Jallianwala Bagh in 1919, months after the massacre
Bullet marks on the walls of the park premises
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, involving the killings of hundreds of Indian civilians on the orders of British Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, took place on 13 April 1919 in the heart of Amritsar, the holiest city of the Sikhs, on a day sacred to them as the birth anniversary of the Khalsa (Vaisakhi day).
In Punjab, during World War I (1914–18), there was considerable social unrest, particularly among the Sikhs. First, they opposed the demolition of a boundary wall of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, a historic gurdwara near Parliament House in New Delhi. Later, they were disturbed about the activities and trials of the Ghadarites, almost all of whom were Sikhs. In India as a whole, political activity had arisen during the strains of war. Two leaders had emerged: Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948), who after a period of struggle as a young man against the British in South Africa had returned to India in January 1915 to work there for change and Annie Besant (1847–1933), head of the Theosophical Society of India. On 11 April 1916 she established the Home Rule League with the goal of autonomy for India. In December 1916, the Indian National Congress, at its annual session held at Lucknow, passed a resolution asking the king to issue a proclamation announcing that it is the "aim and intention of British policy to confer self-government on India at an early date".
On 10 April 1919, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew, two popular proponents of the Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi, were called to the deputy commissioner's residence. There they were arrested and transported by car to Dharamsetla, a hill town, now in Himachal Pradesh. A general strike arose in response in Amritsar. Excited groups of citizens soon merged into a crowd of about 50,000 marching to protest these arrests to the deputy commissioner. The crowd, however, was stopped by British colonial forces and fired upon near the railway foot-bridge. The official version reported that the number of casualties were 12 dead and between 20 and 30 wounded. Based on evidence presented to an inquiry of the Indian National Congress, fatalities were reported as between 20 and 30.[citation needed]
Three days later, on 13 April, the traditional festival of Baisakhi, thousands of unarmed Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh. An hour after the meeting began as scheduled at 16:30, Dyer arrived with a group of sixty-five Gurkha soldiers (from the 9th Gorkha Rifles) and twenty-five Baluchi soldiers (from the 59th Scinde Rifles). Without warning the crowd to disperse, Dyer blocked the main exits from the Bagh and ordered his troops to begin shooting toward the densest sections of the crowd; the firing continued for approximately ten minutes. A British government inquiry into the massacre placed the death toll at 379. The Indian National Congress, on the other hand, estimated that approximately 1,000 people were killed.
Operation Blue Star[edit]
Statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Amritsar
Amritsar was a center of unrest in the late 20th century. In the 1980s, Sikh militants occupied the Golden Temple there. Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, ordered Operation Blue Star (1 – 6 June 1984), an Indian military operation to remove the militants from the temple. The operation was carried out by Indian army troops equipped with tanks and armoured vehicles. While militarily successful, the operation aroused immense controversy. The government's justification for the timing and style of the attack are hotly debated. India Today magazine has ranked Operation Blue Star as among the Top 10 Political Disgraces in India.
Official reports put the number of deaths among the Indian army at 83, with 493 civilians killed, including Sikh militants, while independent estimates place the numbers upwards of 5,000 people, a majority of them pilgrims, including women and children. In addition, the CBI is considered responsible for seizing historical artefacts and manuscripts in the Sikh Reference Library before burning it down. Four months after the operation, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in what is viewed as an act of vengeance. Following her assassination, more than 17,000 Sikhs were killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Geography
[edit]
Amritsar is located at 31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.63°N 74.87°E / 31.63; 74.87 with an average elevation of 234 metres (768 ft) in the Majha region of the state of Punjab in North India and lies about 15 miles (24 km) east of the border with Pakistan. Administrative towns includes Ajnala, Attari, Beas, Budha Theh, Chheharta Sahib, Jandiala Guru, Majitha, Rajasansi, Ramdass, Rayya, Verka Town and Baba Bakala.[citation needed]
Climate[edit]
Typically for Northwestern India, Amritsar has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) bordering on a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Cwa). Temperatures in Amritsar usually range from −1 to 45 °C (30 to 113 °F). It experiences four primary seasons: winter (December to March), when temperatures can drop to −1 °C (30 °F); summer (April to June), when temperatures can reach 45 °C (113 °F); monsoon (July to September); and post-monsoon (October to November). Annual rainfall is about 726.0 millimetres (28.6 in). The lowest recorded temperature is −3.6 °C (25.5 °F), was recorded on 9 December 1996 and the highest temperature, 48.0 °C (118.4 °F), was recorded on 23 May 2013. The official weather station for the city is the civil aerodrome at Rajasansi. Weather records here date back to 15 November 1947.
vteClimate data for Amritsar (ATQ) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1947–present)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
26.8(80.2)
32.2(90.0)
36.2(97.2)
44.1(111.4)
48.0(118.4)
47.8(118.0)
45.6(114.1)
40.7(105.3)
40.6(105.1)
38.3(100.9)
34.2(93.6)
28.5(83.3)
48.0(118.4)
Mean maximum °C (°F)
22.7(72.9)
26.1(79.0)
32.4(90.3)
40.6(105.1)
44.5(112.1)
44.6(112.3)
39.8(103.6)
37.0(98.6)
36.4(97.5)
35.3(95.5)
30.4(86.7)
25.2(77.4)
45.6(114.1)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
17.7(63.9)
21.7(71.1)
27.0(80.6)
34.4(93.9)
39.4(102.9)
38.9(102.0)
35.0(95.0)
34.1(93.4)
33.9(93.0)
32.0(89.6)
27.0(80.6)
20.9(69.6)
30.1(86.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)
11.0(51.8)
14.4(57.9)
19.0(66.2)
25.4(77.7)
30.7(87.3)
31.8(89.2)
30.3(86.5)
29.7(85.5)
28.2(82.8)
24.1(75.4)
18.1(64.6)
12.6(54.7)
22.9(73.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
3.8(38.8)
6.7(44.1)
11.2(52.2)
16.6(61.9)
21.9(71.4)
24.7(76.5)
25.7(78.3)
25.3(77.5)
22.7(72.9)
16.4(61.5)
9.4(48.9)
4.6(40.3)
15.7(60.3)
Mean minimum °C (°F)
−0.3(31.5)
2.2(36.0)
6.1(43.0)
10.9(51.6)
16.6(61.9)
19.7(67.5)
21.8(71.2)
21.7(71.1)
18.5(65.3)
11.8(53.2)
5.2(41.4)
0.5(32.9)
−0.7(30.7)
Record low °C (°F)
−2.9(26.8)
−2.6(27.3)
2.0(35.6)
6.4(43.5)
9.6(49.3)
15.6(60.1)
18.2(64.8)
18.8(65.8)
13.0(55.4)
7.3(45.1)
−0.6(30.9)
−3.6(25.5)
−3.6(25.5)
Average rainfall mm (inches)
27.1(1.07)
39.8(1.57)
32.6(1.28)
21.9(0.86)
20.8(0.82)
80.9(3.19)
181.6(7.15)
168.9(6.65)
90.7(3.57)
12.3(0.48)
5.8(0.23)
6.8(0.27)
689.2(27.13)
Average rainy days
2.1
3.1
2.4
1.9
2.0
4.8
8.1
7.0
3.7
1.0
0.6
0.8
37.4
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST)
68
58
50
32
26
40
65
70
64
52
53
63
53
Average dew point °C (°F)
7.0(44.6)
10.0(50.0)
13.3(55.9)
14.0(57.2)
15.0(59.0)
19.5(67.1)
25.0(77.0)
25.6(78.1)
23.5(74.3)
18.3(64.9)
12.0(53.6)
8.0(46.4)
15.9(60.7)
Mean monthly sunshine hours
181.7
192.7
219.4
265.0
294.7
269.0
215.5
227.7
240.8
253.2
220.1
182.2
2,762
Average ultraviolet index
2
4
6
7
8
9
7
6
5
5
4
2
5
Source 1: India Meteorological Department Time and Date (dewpoints, 2005-2015)
Source 2: NOAA (sun 1971–1990) Tokyo Climate Center (mean temperatures 1991–2020); Weather Atlas
Amritsar has been ranked 39th best "National Clean Air City" (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results'
Demographics
[edit]
See also: List of cities in Punjab and Chandigarh
Historical populationYearPop.±% 1868 133,925—     1871 136,000+1.5% 1881 151,896+11.7% 1891 136,766−10.0% 1901 162,429+18.8% 1911 152,756−6.0% 1921 160,218+4.9% 1931 264,840+65.3% 1941 391,010+47.6% 1951 336,114−14.0% 1961 390,055+16.0% 1971 454,805+16.6% 1981 594,844+30.8% 1991 708,835+19.2% 2001 979,801+38.2% 2011 1,159,227+18.3%Source:
The Golden Temple, in Amritsar, is the holiest site in Sikhism
In 1871–72, Amritsar was the 11th most populous city in British India with a population of 136,000 and had a larger population than Lahore (99,000). As of the 2011 census, Amritsar municipality had a population of 1,159,227. The municipality had a sex ratio of 884 females per 1,000 males and 119,592 (10.32%) of the population were under six years old, with the child sex ratio being 826 females per 1000 males. Literacy was 83.81%; male literacy was 86.52% and female literacy was 80.76%. The scheduled caste population is 21.76%.
Religion[edit]
Religion in Amritsar City (2011)
Religion
Percent
Hinduism
 
49.36%
Sikhism
 
48.00%
Christianity
 
1.23%
Islam
 
0.51%
Other or not stated
 
0.90%
According to 2011 Census of India, Hinduism and Sikhism are the main religions of the Amritsar city followed by 49.36% and 48.00% of the population, respectively. Christianity is followed by 1.23% and Islam 0.51%. Around 0.9% of the population of the city stated 'No Particular Religion' or other religion.
Amritsar is the holiest city in Sikhism and about 30 million people visit it each year for pilgrimage.
Religious groups in Amritsar City (1868−2011)
Religiousgroup
1868
1881: 520 
1891: 68 
1901: 44 
1911: 20 
1921: 23 
1931: 26 
1941: 32 
2011
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Pop.
%
Islam
61,193
45.69%
75,891
49.96%
63,366
46.33%
77,795
47.89%
71,851
47.04%
71,180
44.43%
132,362
49.98%
184,055
47.07%
5,862
0.51%
Hinduism
49,115
36.67%
61,274
40.34%
56,652
41.42%
65,117
40.09%
58,720
38.44%
65,313
40.77%
98,001
37%
144,522
36.96%
572,189
49.36%
Sikhism
19,267
14.39%
13,876
9.14%
15,751
11.52%
17,860
11%
20,357
13.33%
21,478
13.41%
32,009
12.09%
58,779
15.03%
556,431
48%
Christianity
130
0.1%
—N/a
—N/a
848
0.62%
1,104
0.68%
1,128
0.74%
1,446
0.9%
1,819
0.69%
2,611
0.67%
14,280
1.23%
Buddhism
0
0%
—N/a
—N/a
0
0%
0
0%
0
0%
5
0%
0
0%
—N/a
—N/a
773
0.07%
Jainism
—N/a
—N/a
9
0.01%
143
0.1%
532
0.33%
652
0.43%
738
0.46%
604
0.23%
974
0.25%
1,143
0.1%
Zoroastrianism
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
5
0%
19
0.01%
48
0.03%
58
0.04%
41
0.02%
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
Judaism
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
0
0%
—N/a
—N/a
0
0%
0
0%
4
0%
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
—N/a
Others
4,220
3.15%
846
0.56%
1
0%
2
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
0%
79
0.02%
8,549
0.74%
Total population
133,925
100%
151,896
100%
136,766
100%
162,429
100%
152,756
100%
160,218
100%
264,840
100%
391,010
100%
1,159,227
100%
Languages spoken in Amritsar city (2011)
Punjabi (91.1%)
Hindi (7.90%)
Others (0.98%)
At the time of the 2011 census, 91.12% of the population spoke Punjabi and 7.90% Hindi as their first language.
Government and politics
[edit]
Politics[edit]
The city is part of the Amritsar (Lok Sabha constituency).
Constituency number
Constituency name
Reserved for (SC/None)
Electors (2017)[needs update]
District
15
Amritsar North
None
175,908
Amritsar
16
Amritsar West
SC
179,766
Amritsar
17
Amritsar Central
None
135,954
Amritsar
18
Amritsar East
None
153,629
Amritsar
19
Amritsar South
None
148,809
Amritsar
20
Attari
SC
173,543
Amritsar
Amritsar Municipal Corporation[edit]
Amritsar was notified as a city on 29 March 1977 under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, following which the Municipal Corporation replaced the earlier Municipal Committee.
The city’s first local administrative body was established as a Town Committee in 1858, which was later upgraded to a Municipal Committee in 1868. The first election to the Municipal Corporation was conducted in 1991, when the city was divided into 50 wards. Sh. O. P. Soni was elected Mayor on 25 June 1991, with S. Raminder Singh Bularia as Senior Deputy Mayor and Sh. Subash Sharma as Deputy Mayor. This elected body remained in office until its dissolution on 18 June 1996.
Subsequently, the number of wards was increased to 60, and elections were held on 28 May 1997. Sh. Subash Sharma, S. Lakha Singh, and Kumari Raj Sharma were elected as Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor respectively. Following the resignation of Sh. Subash Sharma, Sh. Brij Mohan Kapur was elected Mayor on 18 October 2000.
The third municipal election took place on 27 April 2002, with the mayoral election held on 15 June 2002. Sh. Sunil Dutti, Sh. Sawinder Singh, and Sh. Om Parkash were elected as Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor respectively.
Prior to the fourth municipal election, the number of wards was increased to 65. Elections were held on 8 August 2007, and the election for the office of Mayor took place on 6 September 2007. Sh. Shwait Malik was elected Mayor, with Sh. Ajaybir Pal Singh Randhawa as Senior Deputy Mayor and Sh. Kashmir Singh as Deputy Mayor.
To enhance representation, 33 per cent of seats in the Municipal Corporation are reserved for women on a rotational basis. Seats are also reserved for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes in accordance with government policy.
The present Municipal House was constituted on 19 September 2012. Sh. Bakshi Ram Arora was elected Mayor, Sh. Avtar Singh (Trucka Wala) as Senior Deputy Mayor, and Sh. Avinash Jolly as Deputy Mayor.
List Of Mayors[edit]
The Mayor of Amritsar is the elected head of the Municipal Corporation of Amritsar and is regarded as the first citizen of the city. The position is primarily ceremonial, as executive authority rests with the Municipal Commissioner. The mayor represents the city in official functions and presides over meetings and deliberations of the Municipal Corporation, ensuring orderly conduct and upholding the dignity of the office.
S. No.
Name
Took Office
Left Office
Tenure
Party
Ward No.
Reference
1
Om Prakash Soni
25 June 1991
18 June 1996
4 years- 359 days
INC
2
Subash Sharma
28 May 1997
18 October 2000
3 years- 143 days
BJP
3
Brij Mohan Kapur
18 October 2000
27 April 2002
1 year- 191 days
BJP
4
Sunil Dutti
15 June 2002
2007
5 years
INC
5
Shwait Malik
6 September 2007
2012
5 years
BJP
6
Bakshi Ram Arora
19 September 2012
2017
5 years
BJP
7
Karamjit Singh Rintu
23 January 2018
27 January 2025
7 years- 361 days
AAP
8
Jatinder Singh
27 January 2025
Incumbent
359 days
AAP
26
Current Members[edit]
The Amritsar Municipal Corporation consists of 85 councillors, who are directly elected for a five-year term. The council is headed by a mayor. The most recent municipal elections were conducted on 21 December 2024. Jatinder Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party currently serves as the Mayor of Amritsar. The positions of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor are held by Priyanka Sharma and Anita Devi respectively, both of whom are members of the Aam Aadmi Party.
Mayor- Jatinder Singh
Senior Deputy Mayor- Priyanka Sharma
Junior Deputy Mayor- Anita Rani
Ward Number
Name of Councillor
Party
Remarks
1
Kuljit Kaur
Aam Aadmi Party
2
Amarjit Singh
3
Navdeep Kaur
Indian National Congress
4
Mandeep Singh Aujla
Aam Aadmi Party
Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP
5
Kriti Arora
Bhartiya Janta Party
6
Amandeep Aery
7
Kajal Devi
Aam Aadmi Party
8
Balwinder Singh
9
Shobit Kaur
Indian National Congress
10
Shruti Vij
Bhartiya Janta Party
11
Priyanka Sharma
Aam Aadmi Party
12
Narinder Singh
Indian National Congress
13
Gurwinder Kaur
Aam Aadmi Party
14
Rajkanwal Preetpal Singh Sandhu
Indian National Congress
15
Rama Devi
Bhartiya Janta Party
16
Sandeep Sharma
Indian National Congress
17
Anita Kumari
18
Navdeep Singh
19
Navjeet Kaur
Aam Aadmi Party
20
Gurinder Singh
Indian National Congress
21
Kulwinder Kaur
Aam Aadmi Party
22
Sujinder Bidlan
Indian National Congress
23
Kulwinder Kaur
24
Satnam Singh Sabha
25
Monika Sharma
26
Jatinder Singh
Aam Aadmi Party
27
Preet Kaur
Elected as BJP councilor, later joined AAP
28
Saurabh Madaan Mithu
Indian National Congress
29
Shweta Devi
30
Avtar Singh
Shiromani Akali Dal
31
Sukhbir Kaur
Aam Aadmi Party
32
Jagmeet Singh Ghulli
Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP
33
Ashnoor Kaur
34
Amritpal Singh
Indian National Congress
35
Amarji Kaur
Bharatiya Janata Party
36
Ashok Kumar
Aam Aadmi Party
37
Gurjit Kaur
38
Bhagwant Singh
39
Manpreet Kaur
40
Gurwinder Singh
41
Sukhwinder Kaur
Indian National Congress
42
Gagandeep Singh
43
Inderjit Singh
Shiromani Akali Dal
44
Jaswinder Singh Gill
Indian National Congress
45
Sukhbir Kaur
46
Navpreet Singh
47
Kiranjit Kaur
Aam Aadmi Party
48
Ashwani Kumar
Indian National Congress
49
Ritu Kundra
50
Ritu Devi
Aam Aadmi Party
51
Sarita Devi
Indian National Congress
52
Vikas Soni
53
Komal Shah
54
Amit Kumar
55
Kulbir Kaur
56
Varinder Vicky Datta
Aam Aadmi Party
57
Manju Mehra Pappal
Indian National Congress
58
Jarnail Singh
Aam Aadmi Party
59
Gurmeet Kaur
Indian National Congress
60
Gaurav Gill
Bharatiya Janata Party
61
Rajni Devi
62
Sameer Dutta
Indian National Congress
63
Usha Rani
Aam Aadmi Party
Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP
64
Nitu Tangri
Independent
65
Neeraj Chaudhary
Indian National Congress
66
Virat Devgan
Aam Aadmi Party
67
Anita Devi
Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP
68
Vikas Gill
Bharatiya Janata Party
69
Gurpreet Kaur
Indian National Congress
70
Vijay Kumar Bhagat
Aam Aadmi Party
Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP
71
Surjit Kaur
72
Avtar Singh
Indian National Congress
Elected as INC councilor; later joined AAP, then returned to INC
73
Kuldeep Singh
74
Paramjeet Kaur Dhillon
Shiromani Akali Dal
75
Kashmir Singh
Indian National Congress
76
Sukhbir Singh
Aam Aadmi Party
77
Sunita Devi
Indian National Congress
78
Anita Sharma
Aam Aadmi Party
Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP
79
Shivali Devi
Elected as INC councilor; later joined AAP
80
Raman Kumar
Indian National Congress
81
Nisha Dhillon
82
Sandeep Singh
Aam Aadmi Party
83
Nagwant Kaur
Shiromani Akali Dal
84
Rashpal Singh
Indian National Congress
85
Natasha Gill
Aam Aadmi Party
Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP
Administrative setup[edit]
Source:
Tehsils[edit]
Amritsar district is divided into 6 Tehsils:
Ajnala
Amritsar-I
Amritsar-II
Baba Bakala
Majitha
Lopoke
Blocks[edit]
Amritsar district is divided into 10 blocks
Ajnala
Attari
Chogawan
Harsha China
Jandiala Guru
Majitha
Rayya
Tarsika
Verka
Ramdas
Civic utilities[edit]
Medical facilities[edit]
Dr. Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health, a government mental hospital
Government Medical College
Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences
Economy
[edit]
Main article: Economy of Amritsar
Amritsar is the second-largest city and district of Punjab. It is also one of the fastest-growing cities of Punjab.[citation needed] In the mid-1980s the city was famous for its textile industry. Amritsar's trade and industry faced a blow during militancy period in 1980s, but there are still many textile mills, knitting units and embroidery factories functional in the city. It is famous for its pashmina shawls, woolen clothes, blankets, etc. Among handicrafts, the craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district got enlisted on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014, and the effort to revive this craft under the umbrella of Project Virasat is among India's biggest government-sponsored craft revival programs. Tourism and hospitality have recently become the backbone of local economy due to heavy tourist arrivals. Hundreds of small and some large hotels have sprung up to cater to the increased tourist inflow. Restaurants, taxi operators, local shopkeepers have all benefited from the tourist boom.[citation needed]
Tourism
[edit]
Main article: Tourism in Amritsar
Golden Temple and Heritage Street
Khalsa College
Durgiana Mandir and Bada Hanuman Mandir
Mata Lal Devi Mandir, Model Town
Shri Ram Tirath and Valmiki Tirath
Shivala Bagh Bhaiyan
Punjab State War Heroes' Memorial & Museum
Sadda Pind
Urban Haat Food Street
Gobindgarh Fort
Ram Bagh Palace and
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum
Wagah border
Gurudwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib
Partition Museum
Jallianwala Bagh
Pul Kanjri
VR Ambarsar, Circular Road
Mall of Amritsar, near Hyatt
Jang-e-Azadi Memorial near Kartarpur, India
Transport
[edit]
Air[edit]
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport
Amritsar hosts Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport. The airport is connected to other parts of India and other countries with direct international flights to cities and is the 12th busiest airport in the country in terms of international traffic. It serves Amritsar and several other districts in Punjab and neighbouring states.[citation needed]
Rail[edit]
Amritsar Junction railway station is the main station serving Amritsar. It is the busiest railway station in Indian state of Punjab and one of the highest revenue-generating station of Northern Railways. Due to high traffic at the Amritsar Junction railway station, Indian Railways has planned to develop two satellite stations-Chheharta and Bhagtanwala, in order to decongest traffic at this station. As many as 6 trains would be shifted to Chheharta railway station in the first phase. The Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation has also planned to make the Amritsar Junction railway station a world-class railway station on lines of the international airport based on PPP model. The project has received an overwhelming response with bids from 7 private firms, including GMR.
Road[edit]
Amritsar is located on the historic Grand Trunk Road (G.T. Road), also known as NH 1 now renumbered as National Highway 3. An expressway by name of Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway at the cost of ₹25,000 crore is approved under Bharatmala scheme which will cut the travel time from Amritsar to New Delhi by road from current 8 hours, to 4 hours. Another expressway, called Amritsar–Jamnagar Expressway is under construction which will connect Amritsar to Jamnagar in Gujarat. Additionally, NH 54 (Old NH15), NH 354 and NH 503A connect Amritsar to other parts of state and rest of India.
A ring road will also be built surrounding all 4 sides of Amritsar
₹ 450,000,000 is being spent to expand the Amritsar-Jalandhar stretch of G.T. Road to four lanes. In 2010, elevated road with four lanes connected to the National highway for better access to the Golden Temple has been started.
Amritsar MetroBus[edit]
Amritsar Inter State Bus Stand
Amritsar has a bus rapid transit service, the Amritsar Metrobus which was launched on 28 January 2019. 93 fully air-conditioned Tata Marcopolo buses are used for the service connecting places like[citation needed]
Golden Temple
Jallianwala Bagh
Guru Nanak Dev University
Golden Gate
India Gate, Amritsar
Durgiana Temple
Khalsa College
Educational institutions
[edit]
Khalsa College
BBK DAV College for Women
D.A.V College
D.A.V Public School
Delhi Public School
Government Medical College
Guru Nanak Dev University
Khalsa College
Khalsa College of Law
Indian Institute of Management
Spring Dale Senior School
Culture
[edit]
Amritsari people have developed their own distinct culture and exhibit it through the following features. Amritsar is the center of Sikh political affairs, so it is heavily influenced by religion. Many people visit gurudwaras like Harmandir Sahib, Akal Takht Sahib, and Gurdwara Baba Atal.
Food
[edit]
Amritsar has a rich food culture. Some notable places to eat include partaking in the langar at Harmandir Sahib, Gyan di lassi, Gyani di chaa, going to Pahardganj for Cholle bhature, having pateesa and daal diyan Pinnian at Durgiana Mandir, eating maa di daal, lachcha paratha, palak paneer, baingan bharta, phirni all at Kesar da dhaba or Bhravaan da dhaba. For kulchas: All India Famous Amritsari Kulcha or Kulcha Land are recommended. Friends Dhaba features a keema kulcha. Surjit's Food Plaza is famous for Shammi Kabab and Mutton Tikka. Beera Chicken House is well known for tandoori chicken. Makhan Fish & Chicken Corner is famous for Amritsari fish tikka.
Language
[edit]
People from Amritsar speak with a particular dialect: the Majhi dialect.
Dress
[edit]
Men from Amritsar often tie the Amritsar Shahi turban, which rivals the Patiala Shahi turban.
Sister cities
[edit]
Following cities are sister cities of Amritsar:
Bakersfield, California, United States
Sandwell, West Midlands, England, United Kingdom
Thetford, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom
