In 1925, Raja Joginder Sen of Mandi created an elaborate hydel power scheme near the village of Sukrahatti which was then renamed Joginder nagar (1220 m) after him. After tunneling and piping the water over several kilometers from the river Uhl to Joginder nagar, the Shanan Power House was built by a team of engineers headed by Col. Battye. Joginder Nagar is the only town in Asia to have 3 hydro-electric power stations, and hence it is popularly known as The Electric City or The City of Powerhouses.
A narrow-gauge railway track was laid from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar to carry the heavy machinery transported from Britain. A Haulage-way system was laid from the site of Shanan Power House to Barot, where the reservoir was constructed on Uhl river.
The town came into prominence in 1932 when the first hydroelectric project was constructed here. It was the only hydroelectric project in northern India which fed undivided Punjab and Delhi. The economy of the town got a fillip in 1970 when the Bassi Power House was built utilizing the tail water of the Shanan Power House. The generation cost at this project is the cheapest in the country. The construction of third stage of project, Uhl Stage III (100 MW), was inaugrated at Tullah near the Machhyal Lake and is currently under progress.
Soon after the completion of the first hydroelectric project at Shanan the business received a setback with the migration of thousands of workers engaged in the construction. Joginder Nagar is one of the few towns of Himachal Pradesh connected by rail. Jogindernagar is well connected with road and railway line. Once it was the biggest potato market of northern India. At that time the potato growing valleys were not linked by roads. Over 2,000 mules from the Lahaul and Spiti valleys transported potatoes from far-flung areas to Jogindernagar which was the only railhead in this part of the state. Potatoes from Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts were brought here for further transportation to West Bengal.
Jogindernagar has the Ayurvedic Research Institute and other infrastructure.
Jogindernagar is the only city in Asia having three power houses simultaneously Shanan Power House (110MW), Bassi Power House (60 MW) and Uhl Stage III (100MW). These three power houses adds up their potential to 110+60+100=270 Megawatt (MW). One very special thing about it is that these all Power houses is that these are being run by using the water of single river Uhl, which originates from a high peak having altitude 14,500 feet in Kangra district.
Joginder Nagar is connected with all the main stations by buses and cabs. The tourists may not find many hotels at Joginder Nagar. However they can go to Mandi or Kangra to search for a more comfortable stay. The HPTDC owns the hotel Uhl at Joginder Nagar.
The other places of visit includes Gumma and the haulage trolley. See Places of Interest.
There is an artificial water fall at the converging point of rivers Lambadag and Uly. For holidaying, Joginder Nagar is a nice place where there are options for fishing ,trekking and wonderful sightseeing.
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Education
The town and neighbouring villages have easy access to education. The oldest schools in the town are Government Senior Secondary School, Government Senior Secondary School (Girls) and Bhartiya Public Senior Secondary School (earlier Bhartiya Public High School andArya Samaj Mandir).
There have been several advances in education since 2003 and many new private schools have come up in area, some noteworthy being Ascent Senior Secondary School, Shanti Niketan Senior Secondary School, Gurukul Public Senior Secondary School, Crescent Senior Secondary School and New Crescent Senior Secondary School. The increase in competition between schools has led to increase in facilities provided by schools (e.g. Commution) and hence children in a much wider region now have access to better education.
There has been reasonable progress in the higher education sector in the area and but most of higher education aspirants prefer to move to bigger cities and other states for graduation and post-graduation.
A university has been established under Tibetan Children’s Villages project near the Tibetan settlement in village Chauntra, exclusively for Tibetan students in exile. The university provides education for Tibetan students in various disciplines including Tibetan language, Tibetan culture and various forms of arts and science.
Important institutions are :
- Ayurveda University (proposed, one campus also at Paprola)
- Rajeev Gandhi Memorial Degree College
- HP Revenue Training Institute
- Govt. B. Pharma College (being mentored at Herbal Garden)
- Himalayan Group of Institution’s Nursing College
- Ayurvedic Research Institute & Herbal Garden
- Industrial Training Institute
- Prajapati Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya Rajyoga & Meditation Center
Important Contact Number are :
- Bus Stand Joginder Nagar : 01908-222061
- Rest House Joginder Nagar : 01908-222033
- Civil Hospital Joginder Nagar : 01908-222038
- ITI Joginder Nagar : 01908-222578
- Hotel Uhl, Joginder Nagar : 01908-222002
- Police Station Joginder Nagar : 01908-222065
- Tehsildar Joginder Nagar : 01908-222023
- Forest DO Joginder Nagar : 01908-222100
- HP Revenue Training Institute : 01908-223309
- Ayurved Hospital Joginder Nagar :01908-222602
- Ayurved Pharmacist Training Center Joginder Nagar : 01908-222931
- Herbal Garden – Research Instt. in ISM : 01908-222970
- State Bank Of India Joginder Nagar : 01908-224361
- Punjab National Bank Joginder Nagar : 01908-222090
- Uco Bank Joginder Nagar : 01908-224538
- RGM Government College Joginder Nagar : 01908-222426
- Neelam College Of Education Joginder Nagar : 94184-49909
