Meerut is a city situated in the northwestern part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city is quite close to the capital of India, i.e. New Delhi, within the National Capital Region.

Meerut is 430 km (270 mi) west of the state capital Lucknow. Meerut is a bustling industrial city in Western UP and Delhi NCR.

Meerut is one of the 6 mega-cities as identified by UP Government. The city is divided into 80 wards.

Meerut is a municipal corporation with an elected mayor and councilors. The Meerut Municipal Corporation is responsible for providing civic amenities such as water supply, sanitation, and waste management, among others.

Sprawling over an area of 450 sq.km, Meerut is considered to be the largest city in the National Capital Region after Delhi. Being the largest producer of sports goods, the city is popularly known as the “Sports City of India”.

It is an industrial city with a thriving economy located at the junction of several roads and rail lines, hence a trade center for textiles, handloom, agricultural products, handicrafts and sugar industries. The city is also home to several small and medium-sized enterprises.

According to the Census 2011, the population of Meerut is 1,305,429 which makes the city the 33rd most populous urban agglomeration and the 26th most populous city in India.

Meerut is one of the oldest cities in India and has a rich historical and cultural heritage. The city has been mentioned in various ancient texts and was a prominent center of the Indus Valley Civilization. It was also an important center of Buddhism during the Mauryan Empire.

It had been a center of Buddhism in the period of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (r. 273 BC to 232 BC.), and remains of Buddhist structures were found near the Jama Masjid in the present-day city.

The Ashoka Pillar, at Delhi ridge, next to the ‘Bara Hindu Rao Hospital’, near Delhi University, was carried to Delhi from Meerut, by Firuz Shah Tughluq (r. 1351–1388); it was later damaged in a 1713 explosion and restored in 1867.

During the medieval period, Meerut was ruled by various dynasties including the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and the Marathas. In 1857, Meerut played a significant role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, which is also known as the First War of Indian Independence.Meerut is one of the oldest cities in India and has a rich historical and cultural heritage. The city has been mentioned in various ancient texts and was a prominent center of the Indus Valley Civilization. It was also an important center of Buddhism during the Mauryan Empire.

It had been a center of Buddhism in the period of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (r. 273 BC to 232 BC.), and remains of Buddhist structures were found near the Jama Masjid in the present-day city.

The Ashoka Pillar, at Delhi ridge, next to the ‘Bara Hindu Rao Hospital’, near Delhi University, was carried to Delhi from Meerut, by Firuz Shah Tughluq (r. 1351–1388); it was later damaged in a 1713 explosion and restored in 1867.

During the medieval period, Meerut was ruled by various dynasties including the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and the Marathas. In 1857, Meerut played a significant role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, which is also known as the First War of Indian Independence.

Education :

Meerut is an education hub of Western Uttar Pradesh with numerous universities, schools and colleges like-

• Delhi Public School, Meerut
• St. Mary's Academy, Meerut
• St. John's Sr. Sec School
• Dayawati Modi Academy, Meerut
• Meerut Public School, Meerut
• Army Public School, Meerut
• Chaudhary Charan Singh University
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology
• IIMT University

Air Connectivity :

The nearest airport is the Indira Gandhi International Airport which is about 100  km away.  The state government has taken an initiative to alter the airstrip into an airport known as Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar Airport which will reduce the pressure on IGI Delhi airport.

Road Connectivity:

Meerut is well-connected by road to major cities like Delhi, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Haridwar, Bulandshahr, etc. 

The city has an expressway connecticity with the National Capital Delhi. It takes around 40-45 mins to reach Delhi through Delhi-Meerut Expressway (Also known as National Expressway NE-3).

Three national highways pass through Meerut which includes;

• NH-58: Delhi-Dehradun
• NH -119: Meerut-Najibabad-Kotdwar
• NH-235: Haridwar-Meerut-Bulandshahr further going towards Aligarh and Agra.

Bus Connectivity:

Meerut has a well-developed bus transport system with several buses operated by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) and private bus operators.

Taxis Coneectivity:

Taxis are readily available in Meerut for local transportation as well as for outstation trips. Several cab aggregators such as Ola and Uber operate in Meerut city.

Inter-state transport: Meerut is connected to other states through national highways.

Railways Connectivity:

Meerut lies on the Delhi–Saharanpur electrified railway line and has five railway stations:

• Meerut City
• Meerut Cantt
• Partapur
• Mohiuddinpur
• Pabli Khas

Among them, Meerut City railway station is one of the busiest ones.

Industrial Area:

Meerut is one of the important industrial towns of western Uttar Pradesh with several traditional and modern industries, known for handloom works and the scissors industry, along with tyres, textile, transformer, sugar, distillery, chemical, engineering, paper, publishing, and sports goods manufacture.

Culture:

Meerut is known for its unique culture, which is a blend of various traditions and customs. The city is famous for its brassware, which is exported to different parts of the world. The people of Meerut celebrate various festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Eid, and Christmas, among others.

Economy:

Meerut is an industrial city with a thriving economy. The city is known for its sports goods, textiles, handloom, and sugar industries. The city is also home to several small and medium-sized enterprises.

Tourism:

Meerut has several tourist attractions that attract visitors from different parts of India and the world like Augarnath Temple, Gandhi Bagh, Suraj Kund Park, and Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, among others.

Shopping facilities:

The city has several shopping centers and markets where one can buy clothes, electronics and other items. Some of the popular shopping destinations in the city are Sadar Bazaar, Abu Lane, and Shastri Nagar Market.

Entertainment facilities:

Meerut has several theaters, malls and parks where one can enjoy movies, shopping, and other leisure activities like Eros Cinema, Meerut Mall and Gandhi Bagh Park.

Sports facilities:

Meerut is known for its sports goods industry having several sports facilities where you can play cricket, football, and other sports like Subharti Cricket Stadium, Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, and Gandhi Bagh Stadium.