Handwara is a sub-district and a town in Kupwara district of Kashmir. It was known as Uttar Machipora until the division of Baramulla district in the 1980s resulting in the formation of two new districts: Kupwara and Bandipora. It is located on Baramulla-Handwara National Highway NH-701 and is governed by a municipal committee.

Geography

Handwara is located at at an average elevation of 1,582 metres (5,190 feet) above sea level.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Indian census, Handwara has a population of 13,600. Males constitute 54.26% of the population and females 45.74%. Handwara has an average literacy rate of 64.39%. The dominant religion in the town is

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

Literacy

The Census of 2011 showed the literacy rate of Handwara at 64.39%, lower than the national average of 67.16%. There is a gender difference in literacy, with a male literacy rate of 75.62% and a much lower female literacy rate of 51.88%.

Educational Institutions

* Government Degree College, Handwara * Shaheen Public Secondary School, Handwara

Politics

Handwara is in a politically volatile area of Handwara. It was the home constituency of the late separatist leader

Abdul Ghani Lone Abdul Ghani Lone ( ; 6 May 1932 – 21 May 2002) was a Kashmiri lawyer, politician and a separatist leader. Life Lone was born in Dard Harie, Kralpora in the Kupwara District of the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu in British India into ...

and of Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan. The former MLA for Handwara was Sajjad Gani Lone of the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference, who defeated Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzaan of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference by more than 5000 votes in the 2014 assembly elections. The current MLA seat of Handwara is vacant due to the dissolving of the

Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly also known as the Jammu and Kashmir Vidhan Sabha is the legislature of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir was dissolved by the Governor on 21 N ...

in 2018. Municipal Committee Handwara is an Urban Local Body with 13 elected members, which administers the town.

Transportation

Air

The nearest airport is Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport in

Srinagar Srinagar (English: , ) is the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is known for its natu ...

located 78.8 kilometres from Handwara. There are plans to construct an airport in Panzgam near Kupwara.

Rail

Handwara is not yet connected to railways. The nearest railway station is

Baramulla railway station Baramulla railway station is situated in outskirts of baramulla town nearly about 5km from main town. Transport facility is available in working hours from main town baramulla to railway station and vice versa. It is the first station of 130&nb ...

located 30 kilometres from Handwara.

Road

Handwara is well-connected with roads and highways. The NH 701 passes through Handwara alongside other intra-town roads.

Notable people

Ali Mohammad Shahbaz Ali Mohammad Shahbaz, (born Ali Mohammad Qureshi, 1939 – 1996) known by his pen name Shahbaz, was a Kashmiri-language revolutionary poet, satirist, humanist, philanthropist, calligrapher, and teacher. His literary work revolved around the conf ...

(Poet) * Abdul Gani Lone (Politician) * Sajad Lone (Politician) *

Engineer Rashid Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid is a Kashmiri politician and a former Member of the Legislative Assembly in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir (MLA), Indian Administered Kashmir, from the Langate constituency in Handwara. He is the found ...

(Politician) * Noor Mohammad (Singer)

References

External links

* {{Kashmir Valley Handwara Handwara