Qazigund


Quazigund, also known as Qazigund, is a town and a notified area committee in Anantnag district in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Qazigund is located at. It has an average elevation of 1670 m above mean sea level.

Demographics

As of 2011 India census, Qazigund had a population of 9871. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Qazigund has an average literacy rate of 70.21%, higher than the national average of 67.16%, male literacy is 79.82%, and female literacy is 58.27%. In Qazigund, 20.67% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Qazigund has always been known for religious tolerance. Amongst Muslims Amongst Hindus, Pushker Nath Raina, of Chowgam, was a highly respected person and a great thinker and philosopher, who ensured communal harmony all the time. Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs reside peacefully in Qazigund from centuries. Qazigund is surrounded by springs known as Nags in local language. Verinag source of river Jehlum is only 10 km from Qazigund. Panzath Nag is just 3 km from Qazigund and famous Vasak Nag in Kund is around 12 km from Qazigund.
There are some Sufi shrines in and around Qazigund. Khanqah of Hazrat Shahi Hamadan Ameer e Kabeer Mir Syed Ali Hamadani is located at Dooru Shahabad at a distance of 8 kilometres from Qazigund. Shrine of Hazrat Syed Noor Shah wali Baghdadi is located at Kund approximately at a distance of 12 kilometres. Shrine of Mir Syed Hafeezullah Andrabi Qadri Naqshbandi is located at Qazigund inside the premises of Famous Gousia Arabic College.

Climate

Transport

Qazigund is connected to Anantnag and Srinagar by road and railway. There is a train service from Qazigund to Srinagar ten times a day, and is connected to Kulgam by road. Qazigund is connected to :Jammu and rest of India through NH 44 that passes through Jawahar Tunnel of Pir Panjal mountain. New NH444 connects Qazigund to Srinagar via Shupiyan.

Banihal railway tunnel

Banihal railway tunnel or Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel, is an 11 km long railway tunnel under the Pir Panjal mountains to connect Qazigund railway station to Banihal railway station. It was bored in late 2011, became operational by 26 Dec 2012 and was commissioned in June 2013. It is India's longest and Asia's third longest railway tunnel and reduced the distance between Quazigund and Banihal to only 11 km.