The Grand Trunk Road (abbreviated to GT Road in common usage) is one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For several centuries, it has linked the eastern and western regions of the Indian subcontinent, running from Bengal, across north India, into Peshawar in Pakistan. Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... Mountain road with hairpin turns in the French Alps For other uses, see Road (disambiguation). ... Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ... Bengal (Bengali: বঙ্গ Bôngo, বাংলা Bangla, বঙ্গদেশ Bôngodesh or বাংলাদেশ Bangladesh), is a historical and geographical region in the northeast of South Asia. ... Peshāwar (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ...

Route

Today, the Grand Trunk Road remains a continuum that covers a distance of over 2,500 km.

Bangladesh

The Grand Trunk road begins at Sonargaon in the Narayanganj district of Bangladesh. Sonargaon is the ancient capital of Isa Khans kingdom in Bengal. ... Narayanganj is a district in central Bangladesh. ...

India

Within India, it passes through Kolkata, Bardhaman, Durgapur, Asansol, Amritsar, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Agra, Delhi, Kurukshetra and Ambala. Within India, the major portion of the road, the stretch between Kanpur and Kolkata, is known as NH-2 (National Highway - 2), the stretch between Kanpur and Delhi is called NH-91 (National Highway - 91), and that between Delhi and Wagah, at the border with Pakistan, is known as NH-1. , “Calcutta” redirects here. ... , Bardhaman (also Barddhaman; Bengali: বর্ধমান Bôrdhoman), is a city of West Bengal state in eastern India. ... , See Durgapur, Chandrapur for town of same name in Maharashtra Durgapur (Bengali: দুর্গাপুর) is an industrial township in the state of West Bengal, India, located about 160 km from Kolkata. ... , Asansol (Bengali: ), a coal-mining-industrial centre, is the second largest city [1] in West Bengal, after Kolkata. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... , VārāasÄ« ( , Hindi: , IPA: ), also known as Benares, Banaras, or Benaras ( , Hindi: , , IPA: ), or Kashi or Kasi ( , Hindi: , ), is a famous Hindu holy city situated on the banks of the river Ganges (Ganga) in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... , stop erasing thisAgra   (Hindi: , Urdu: ), (IPA: ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, India. ... , Delhi ( , Hindi: , Punjabi: , Urdu: ) sometimes referred to as Dilli, is the second-largest metropolis in India after Mumbai with a population of 13 million. ... Kurukshetra may refer to: The Kurukshetra war described in the Mahabharata, an Indian epic The town and district of Kurukshetra in the Indian state of Haryana This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ambala District. ... National Highway, is the class of roads maintained by the Central Government in India and is the main long-distance roadways. ...

Pakistan

The Grand Trunk Road enters Pakistan on the Wagah border and continues through Lahore and Rawalpindi, and then Attock and Peshawar, across the Indus River. Lahore (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab, and is the second most densely populated city in Pakistan. ... Rawalpindi (Urdu: راولپنڈی) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistans capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. ... Attock (Urdu: اٹک) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. ... Peshāwar (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ... Satellite image of the Indus River basin. ...

History

Evolution of Indian road network. The main map shows the routes since the Mughal times, Inset A shows the major cultural currents of the prehistorical period, B shows pre-Mauryan Indian routes, C shows the Mauryan network, D shows the trade routes at the beginning of the Christian era, and E shows the Indian "Z".

Recent research indicates that during the time of the Maurya empire, overland trade between India and several parts of western Asia and the Hellenic world went through the cities of the north-west, primarily Taxila (located in present day Pakistan)(see inset in map). Taxila was well connected by roads with other parts of the Maurya empire. The Mauryas had built a highway from Taxila to Pataliputra (present-day Patna in Bihar, India). Image File history File links Roadevol. ... Image File history File links Roadevol. ... Chandragupta Maurya (ruled 322–298 BC), known to the Greeks as Sandracottus, was the first emperor of the Mauryan empire. ... Chandragupta Maurya (ruled 322–298 BC), known to the Greeks as Sandracottus, was the first emperor of the Mauryan empire. ... A map showing Southwest Asia - The term Middle East is more often used to refer to both Southwest Asia and some North African countries Southwest Asia, or West Asia, is the southwestern part of Asia. ... Taxila is an important archaelogical site in Pakistan containing the ruins of the Gandhāran city and university of Takshashila (also Takkasila or Taxila) an important Vedic/Hindu[1] and Buddhist[2] centre of learning from the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. In 1980, Taxila was declared... ... , Paá¹­nā   (Hindi: पटना) is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. ... , Bihar (Hindi: बिहार, Urdu: بہار, IPA: ,  ) is a state of the Indian union situated in the eastern part of the country. ...

For centuries, the Grand Trunk Road has served as the main artery from travel across northern India. A scene from the Ambala cantonment during the British Raj.

In the 16th century, a major road running across the Gangetic plain was built afresh by Pashtun emperor Sher Shah Suri, who then ruled much of northern India. His intention was to link together the remote provinces of his vast empire for administrative and military reasons. The Sadak-e-Azam ("great road") as it was then known, is universally recognized as having been the precursor of the Grand Trunk Road. Image File history File links GTRoad_Ambala. ... Image File history File links GTRoad_Ambala. ... The Indo-Gangetic Plain is a rich, fertile and ancient land encompassing most of northern and eastern India, the most populous parts of Pakistan, and virtually all of Bangladesh. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ambala District. ... The flag of British India British India, circa 1860 The British Raj (Raj in Hindi meaning Rule; from Sanskrit Rajya) was the British rule between 1858 and 1947 of the Indian Subcontinent, which included the present-day India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Burma (Myanmar), whereby these lands were under the colonial... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Sher Shah Suri Sher Shah Suri (1486 – 1545) (Pashto/Persian: - Šīr-Šāh Ṣūrī) also known as Sher Khan and as The Lion King, was founder of the Sur Dynasty of northern Indian rulers. ...

The road was initially built by Sher Shah to connect Agra, his capital, with Sasaram, his hometown. It was soon extended westward to Multan and eastward to Sonargaon in Bengal (now in Bangladesh). While Sher Shah died after a brief reign, and his dynasty ended soon afterwards, the road endured as his outstanding legacy. The Mughals, who succeeded the Suris, extended the road westwards: at one time, it extended to Kabul in Afghanistan, crossing the Khyber pass. This road was later improved by the British rulers of colonial India. Renamed the "Grand Trunk Road" (sometimes referred to as the "Long Walk"), it was extended to run from Calcutta to Peshawar and thus to span a major portion of British India. , stop erasing thisAgra   (Hindi: , Urdu: ), (IPA: ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, India. ... Sasaram is the administrative headquarters of Rohtas district, Bihar state, India. ... Multan shown on a 1669 world map Multan (Urdu: ملتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. ... Sonargaon is the ancient capital of Isa Khans kingdom in Bengal. ... Bengal (Bengali: বঙ্গ Bôngo, বাংলা Bangla, বঙ্গদেশ Bôngodesh or বাংলাদেশ Bangladesh), is a historical and geographical region in the northeast of South Asia. ... The Sur dynasty was an Afghan family, founded by Sher Shah after his defeat of Humayun in 1539, ruled in the north of India between 1540 and 1556. ... For other places with the same name, see Kabul (disambiguation). ... Mountain passes of Afghanistan The Khyber Pass, also referred to as The Khyber (also spelt the Khaiber Pass or Khaybar Pass) (Urdu: درہ خیبر) (el. ... Anthem God Save The Queen/King British India, circa 1860 Capital Calcutta (1858-1912), New Delhi (1912-1947) Language(s) Hindi, Urdu, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1877-1901 Victoria  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - January-December 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George... This article is on Calcutta/Kolkata, the city. ... Peshāwar (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ... Anthem God Save The Queen/King British India, circa 1860 Capital Calcutta (1858-1912), New Delhi (1912-1947) Language(s) Hindi, Urdu, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1877-1901 Victoria  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - January-December 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George...

Over the centuries, the road, which was one of the most important trade routes in the region, facilitated both travel and postal communication. Even during the era of Sher Shah Suri, the road was dotted with caravansarais (highway inns) at regular intervals, and trees were planted on both sides of the road to give shade to the passers-by.The road was well planned, with milestones along the whole stretch. Some of these milestones can still be seen along the present delhi ambala highway. On another note, the road also facilitated the rapid movement of troops and of foreign invaders. It expedited the looting raids, into India's interior regions, of Afghan and Persian invaders and also facilitated the movement of British troops from Bengal into the north Indian plain. A trade route is the sequence of pathways and stopping places used for the commercial transport of cargo. ... This article is about the roadside inns. ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ...

The Grand Trunk Road continues to be one of the major arteries of India and Pakistan. The Indian section is part of the ambitious Golden Quadrilateral project. For over four centuries, the Grand Trunk Road has remained "such a river of life as nowhere else exists in the world".^[1] Map showing the Golden Quadrilateral and other National Highways The Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) is the largest express highway project in India launched under the rule of Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former prime minister of India. ...

New Grand Trunk Road

A new Grand Trunk Road, also called the National Highway 5 or N5, has been built in Pakistan. It begins in the port city of Karachi located in Sindh province and stretches north to Thatta, Hyderabad, and Moro before crossing into Punjab province where it passes through Multan, Sahiwal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum and Rawalpindi. In Rawalpindi, it turns eastwards and passes Attock before crossing the Indus River into NWFP province where is passes through Nowshera, Peshawar before reaching the border town of Torkham crossing into Afghanistan. National Highway Authority is responsible for building and maintaing highways in Pakistan. ... Karachi (Urdu: كراچى, Sindhi: ڪراچي) is the capital of the province of Sindh, and the largest city in Pakistan. ... Sindh (Sindhī: سنڌ, Urdū: سندھ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. ... Thatta, or Tatta, is a historic town of 22,000 inhabitants in the Sindh province of Pakistan. ... This article is about Hyderabad, Pakistan. ... Moro may refer to: Moro Islamic Liberation Front Moro reflex Moors The term Moro (pl. ... This article is about the Pakistani province. ... Multan shown on a 1669 world map Multan (Urdu: ملتان) is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lahore (Urdu: لاہور, Punjabi: لہور, pronounced ) is the capital of the province of Punjab, and is the second most densely populated city in Pakistan. ... Gujranwala (Urdu: گوجرانوالہ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan with a city population of 1,132,509 (1998 census). ... Gujrat (Urdu/Punjabi: گجرات) is a city in Pakistan located in Gujrat District in the Punjab Province. ... Jhelum or Jehlum may mean: Jhelum River in India and Pakistan Jhelum City in Punjab, Pakistan Jhelum District in Punjab, Pakistan This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Rawalpindi (Urdu: راولپنڈی) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistans capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. ... Attock (Urdu: اٹک) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. ... Satellite image of the Indus River basin. ... North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) is geographically the smallest of the four provinces of Pakistan. ... Nowshera (Pashto: نوښار)(Urdu: نوشہرہ) - known locally as Now-khaar is the chief of city of Nowshera District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. ... Peshāwar (Urdu: پشاور; Pashto: پښور) literally means City on the Frontier in Persian and is known as Pekhawar in Pashto. ... Torkham (Urdu: طورخم) is located in Khyber agency of the FATA, Pakistan. ...

See also

• National Highway Authority
• National Highways of Pakistan
• Motorways of Pakistan
• Expressways of India
• National Highways Development Project

National Highway Authority is responsible for building and maintaing highways in Pakistan. ... Makran Coastal Highway N10 National highways and motorways link all major cities in Pakistan and are undergoing rapid expansion to cater to the fast growing surface transportation needs of this rapidly emerging economy. ... // Pakistan Motorways project was proposed in first regime of prime minister Mr. ... The 95-km long Mumbai-Pune Expressway National Highways in India is the class of roads maintained by the Central Government and is the main long-distance roadways. ... National Highways account for only about 2 per cent of the total length of roads, but carry about 40 per cent of the total traffic across the length and breadth of the country. ...

Literature

• Farooque, Abdul Khair Muhammad (1977), Roads and Communications in Mughal India. Delhi: Idarah-i Adabiyat-i Delli.
• Weller, Anthony (1997), Days and Nights on the Grand Trunk Road: Calcutta to Khyber. Marlowe & Company.
• Kipling, Rudyard (1901), Kim. Considered one of Kipling's finest works, it is set mostly along the Grand Trunk Road. Free e-texts are available, for instance here.

This article is about the British author. ... This article is about the novel. ...

External links

• National Highway Authority]
• From the Banglapedia
• At Livius.org

Notes

1. ^ A description of the road by Kipling, found both in his letters and in the novel "Kim". He writes: "Look! Brahmins and chumars, bankers and tinkers, barbers and bunnias, pilgrims -and potters - all the world going and coming. It is to me as a river from which I am withdrawn like a log after a flood. And truly the Grand Trunk Road is a wonderful spectacle. It runs straight, bearing without crowding India's traffic for fifteen hundred miles - such a river of life as nowhere else exists in the world."