Udhampur is a city and a municipal council in Udhampur District in the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Situated among lush green forests of Eucalyptus, it is the third-largest city of the Jammu region and the fifth-largest city in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Udhampur Municipal Council was established in 1962, with the first elections held in 1963. As the local governing body, it plays a critical role in the city's development, overseeing infrastructural improvements and the provision of essential community services.
Udhampur, along with the surrounding areas of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, carries a history dating back thousands of years. Ancient Indian texts mention this region, highlighting Kashmir's significant role in India's cultural context. The region has been under the reign of various rulers, from Indian kings to Sultanates from the west, Mughals, Afghans, and the princely state of Kashmir which acceded to India. Post the partition of India and the formation of Pakistan, this region has been a contentious area, leading to Udhampur and other cities becoming essential military bases for defending the country.
Udhampur is rich in cultural heritage, with numerous temples and historical sites. Among the attractions are the Kiramchi temples on the Udhampur-Jammu highway, the Chountra Devi and Babore Temples, Pingla Devi, and heritage sites such as Ramnagar Fort and Sheesh Mahal.
Udhampur City is divided into 21 wards, each with a varying number of households and commercial units. The city's population is distributed across these wards, with Ward 1 having the highest number of households (1464) and commercial units (188). As the ward numbers increase, the number of households and commercial units generally decreases. Ward 21 has the second-highest number of households (1033) and the third-highest number of commercial units (143). Overall, Udhampur City has a total of 11,271 households and 2,775 commercial units, making it a significant urban center in the region.
| S.no. | Ward no. | No. of Households | No. of commercial units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1464 | 188 |
| 2 | 2 | 392 | 76 |
| 3 | 3 | 383 | 65 |
| 4 | 4 | 299 | 71 |
| 5 | 5 | 244 | 47 |
| 6 | 6 | 342 | 206 |
| 7 | 7 | 335 | 90 |
| 8 | 8 | 240 | 221 |
| 9 | 9 | 489 | 320 |
| 10 | 10 | 289 | 188 |
| 11 | 11 | 885 | 150 |
| 12 | 12 | 439 | 94 |
| 13 | 13 | 226 | 125 |
| 14 | 14 | 232 | 94 |
| 15 | 15 | 374 | 63 |
| 16 | 16 | 195 | 155 |
| 17 | 17 | 924 | 148 |
| 18 | 18 | 604 | 138 |
| 19 | 19 | 660 | 83 |
| 20 | 20 | 1222 | 110 |
| 21 | 21 | 1033 | 143 |
| TOTAL | 11271 | 2775 |
