Faridabad has several regionally reputed institutes for primary and secondary education. Some of the top schools of the city are St. John`s school, Apeejay School, Dynasty International School, Eicher School, Modern School, Delhi Public School, St. Thomas School, Carmel Convent, Saint Joseph’s Convent School, Tagore Academy,Aggarwal Public School, DAV Public School,Gita Bal Niketan, Bhagwan Sri Ram’s Academy, Modern Vidya Niketan, St. John’s School, Modern D.P.S., K.L. Mehta Dayanand, Gita Convent, Grand Columbus, Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), and Vidya Sanskar. Manav Rachna International School is also located in Faridabad. Faridabad houses the reputed YMCA University of Science and Technology,lingaya’s university,manav rachna international university that offer graduate and undergraduate courses, mainly in engineering. The city has two dental colleges: Manav Rachna Dental College and Sudha Rastogi Dental College. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Govt (PG)College Sec-16 A is one of the oldest and best College in the city.
Situated at a distance of around 8 km from South Delhi, it is an ideal picnic spot. The Suraj Kund Lake here is surrounded by rock cut steps. Built by Surajpal Tomar, Suraj Kund represents the rising sun. Ruins of a Sun temple lie around the lake. The complex includes a beautifully done-up Rajhans, a pool of fresh water – Siddha Kund; its waters said to have healing properties and a garden.A delightful handloom and handicrafts fair is held here annually in February. Skilled artisans from all over the country display the rich crafts tradition of India in the typical setting of a rural Indian marketplace. Cultural programmes like folk dances, magic, acrobats and rural cuisines are also a part of this colourful fair. One can also see traditional crafts being made and buy them direct from the craftsmen. Food is served in Banana leaves and claypots.
Faridabad has benefited from plans of Union Government to decongest Delhi by shifting a number of Central Government Offices to Faridabad. Many directorates of different union government ministries are headquartered in Faridabad. The prominent among them are Central Water Commission, Department of Plant Quarantine and Central Insecticide Lab. A number of Union Government Offices from Haryana are based here such as Commissioner of Central Excise within Department of Revenue, Government of India, Department of Explosives, Department of Labour, etc. The Apex Central Training Institute of the Department of Revenue, Government of India, National Academy of Customs Excise & Narcotics is located at Sector 29. This has started functioning from this campus in 1996.
Faridabad is the largest city in the north Indian state of Haryana, in Faridabad district. The district shares its boundaries with the National Capital and Union Territory of Delhi to its north, Gurgaon district to the west and Uttar Pradesh to its east and south. Faridabad enjoys a prime location both geographically and politically. The river Yamuna forms the eastern district boundary with Uttar Pradesh. The Delhi-Agra National Highway No.2 (Sher Shah Suri Marg) passes through the centre of the district. The city has many railway stations on the Delhi-Mathura double track broad-gauge line of the North Central Railway. The railway stations of Old Faridabad and New Industrial Township (NIT) are the major ones.
The climate of Faridabad district can be classified as tropical steppe, semiarid and hot which is mainly characterized by the extreme dryness of the air except during monsoon months. During three months of south west monsoon from last week of June to September, the moist air of oceanic penetrate into the district and causes high humidity, cloudiness and monsoon rainfall. The period from October to December constitutes post monsoon season. The cold weather season prevails from January to the beginning of March and followed by the hot weather or summer season which prevails up to the last week of June.
Faridabad, the south-eastern district in the state of Haryana, was founded in 1607 AD by Baba Farid, treasurer of Jahangir and a Sufi saint, with the object of protecting the Grand Trunk Road (now National Highway 2) which passed through the town. Sheikh Farid built a fort, a tank and a mosque which are now in ruins. Later on, it became the headquarters of a Pargana which was held in jagir by Ballabgarh ruler. Faridabad District came into existence on 15 August 1979 as the 12th district of the state. Faridabad District was carved out from erstwhile Gurgaon District.
Badkhal Lake was located in Badkhal village, 8 km from Delhi Border. The lake fringed by Aravalli hills was a man-made embankment. Owing to unchecked mining in the neighbouring Aravallis, the lake has totally dried up. There are functional Haryana Tourism restaurants in the vicinity. A flower show is held every spring here. Its name is most probably derived from the Persian word bedakhal, which means free from interference. Close to Badhkal Lake, is the Peacock Lake, which is another picturesque spot.
Faridabad is the industrial capital of India. It is home to hundreds of large-scale companies like Lafarge, Shova, Imperial Auto Ltd., Birla VXL, elofic filters, Star Wire India Limited, JCB, Escorts group, Yamaha, Knorr Bremse, ACE-cranes, ABB, GoodYear, ACC, IndianOil (R&D), Whirlpool, Havell’s, L&T, Bhartia cutler hammer, Mahindra Defence, Frick India Ltd., Orient Fans, Talbros, Bharat Gears, Clutch Auto, Hyderabad Industries, Lakhani shoes, Khaitan, Marathon Electric, JBM Group and many more.
Nahar Singh Mahal is also commonly known as Ballabgarh Fort-Palace was built by the predecessor of Jat Raja Nahar Singh. As a matter of respect and remembrance this palace was given the name of Raja Nahar Singh who died in a war of independence. This palace is known for its architecture. This is located at main road entering in Ballabgarh market which is at a distance of about 30 km from Delhi. The palace was recently worked with antiques and relics of a bygone past.
As a part of Pakistani Refugee Resettlement Project after the Partition, light industrial development was initiated in the town in 1950. At that time Delhi was completely filled and then prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru had the responsibility of economic development and transferred the industries to this city and the refugees worked in these industries. Thus, refugees laid down the initial infrastructure of the present Faridabad.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is extending the metro rail service to the city as well. Currently the services terminate at Badarpur at the Delhi-Faridabad border. It will cover the town under Phase – III expansion of the Delhi Metro The fully elevated corridor, the longest Metro line in the NCR, will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2,533 crore by 2016 when the Delhi Metro’s Phase-III is expected to be completed.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates Raja Nahar Singh Base as a logistics base in Faridabad. The resident unit is No.56 Air Storage Park as well as the Air Force Guard Dog Training Unit. The IAF Base has commanded by a Group Captain of the Logistics Branch. Formerly, a SA-2 SAM Squadron was also based in Faridabad. Although there is no army organisation in the city, there are many retired army officers settled here.
The normal annual rainfall in Faridabad district is about 542 mm spread over 27 days. The south west monsoon sets in the last week of June and withdraws towards the end of September and contributes about 85% of the annual rainfall. July and August are the wettest months 15% of the annual rainfall occurs during the non monsoon months in the wake of thunder storms and western disturbances.
For ease of Civil Administration, Faridabad district is divided into two sub divisions viz. Faridabad and Ballabgarh, each headed by a Sub Divisional Magistrate. The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) provides the urban civic amenities to the citizens of Faridabad City. Palwal, Hodal and Hathin Sub Divisions are now part of the newly created Palwal District.
There are three railway stations in the city viz. Faridabad (FDB), New Town Faridabad (FDN) and Ballabgarh (BVH). Earlier it was the last station of central railway, but now it has been included in Northern railway. It is a very high revenue generating source for railways as thousands of people move daily in local trains to and from Delhi for education/professions.
The National Highway-2 (Delhi-Mathura Road) passes through the city, and thus it is well connected to nearby states. Roadways services of Haryana (Haryana Roadways) and neighbouring states like Delhi Transport Corporation, Uttar Pardesh Transport Department, and Madhya Pradesh Transport Department are easily accessible.
Faridabad is also a major industrial hub of Haryana 50% of the income tax collected in Haryana is from Faridabad and Gurgaon. Faridabad is famous for henna production from the agricultural sector, while tractors, motorcycles, switch gears, refrigerators, shoes and tyres constitute its primary industrial products.
Facilities for cricket are available in Nahar Singh Stadium which was built in 1981, the ground has a capacity to hold around 25,000 people. The last ODI played here was between India and England on 31 March 2006. There is a golf-course here named A.G.C.. It is one of the oldest golf-course of the country.
Wheat was grown in Faridabad before but the agriculture has moved towards the villages of Haryana as Faridabad saw a boom in the population in the early 90s. Almost all of the agricultural land has been taken over by residential housing and by property dealers. However, the ‘Anaaj Mandi’ (Grain Market)
Faridabad is on the broad gauge of New Delhi- Mumbai Line. New Delhi and Hazrat Nizammudin Railway Station is about 25 km away from Faridabad Station. The trains for big cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad are easily accessible from here. Local Trains runs between New Delhi to Faridabad.