Teetwal
# Teetwal

Teetwal (also spelt Tithwal) is a small border-village in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is situated on the banks of the Kishanganga River in Kupwara district, 82 km (51 mi) from the district headquarters of Kupwara and close to the Line of Control with Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Teetwal is connected to the rest of India via Tangdhar.

## History

Prior to 1947 Partition of India, Teetwal used to be a commercial hub.

## Geography

Teetwal village is located in India on the Line of Control (LOC) which separates the Jammu and Kashmir administered by India from the Pakistani-administered parts of Kashmir. As per the Karachi Agreement signed by India and Pakistan in 1949, no construction is permitted within 500 yards of zero line on LOC and this "no construction zone" is considered a "no man's land" which is secured by both countries with landmines within their respective areas. India has constructed an Anti-Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS) along the 734 km of LOC. AIOS is a three-tiered fencing system with checkposts and wire fences where villagers are given passage based on the smart card based identity cards issued by the Indian Army. Teetwal is among the villages which lie between the landmined zero point on LOC and the 3 tiers of AIOS.

## Maa Sharda Devi temple

On 22 March 2023, Union Home Minister Amit Shah e-inaugurated the Sharda Devi temple in Teetwal, Karnah in Kupwara district, which is close to Line of Control. The construction work on Sharda Peeth base temple at Teetwal started after local Muslims handed over the land for construction of temple in 2021. They also remained part of construction of the temple and its inauguration. The architecture and reconstruction of the Maa Sharda Devi temple was done in accordance with the scriptures under the aegis of Sharada Peeth, and the temple was inaugurated on the first day of Chaitra Navratri. A gurudwara is also being constructed near this temple. Teetwal temple of Maa Sharda Devi was the base camp for Sharada Peeth prior to partition. The temple was destroyed by tribal raiders in 1947. Sharada Peeth is situated barely 40 kilometers from Teetwal.

## Administration

Teetwal has an elected gram panchayat for the local governance. There is a school with 400 student, an irrigation canal built with the INR2,200,000 provided by the Indian Army under the Operation Sadbhavana, and several bunkers to protect villagers from the shelling and firing by the Pakistan Military.

## Demographics

According to the 2011 census of India, Teetwal has 187 households. The literacy rate of Teetwal village was 73.75% compared to 67.16% of Jammu and Kashmir. In Teetwal, Male literacy stands at 89.89% while the female literacy rate was 55.67%.

Demographics (2011 Census) :

| | Total | Male | Female |
| - | - | - | - |
| Population | 1035 | 549 | 486 |
| Children aged below 6 years | 193 | 104 | 89 |
| Scheduled caste | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Scheduled tribe | 103 | 51 | 52 |
| Literacy | 73.75% | 89.89% | 55.67% |
| Workers (all) | 235 | 211 | 24 |
| Main workers (total) | 161 | – | – |
| Marginal workers (total) | 74 | 71 | 3 |

## Transport

### Road

Teetwal in India, is right on the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, is connected to Tangdhar in India via the "Gundishat Bridge-Teetwal Road". NH 701 which begins at Tangdhar, provides further connectivity to other places in Jammu and Kashmir and beyond in India.

**Tithwal international bridge**

Tithwal bridge is one of the five crossing points along the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. It was first constructed in 1931, but was destroyed in the First Kashmir war. However, in 1988, the bridge was reconstructed jointly by India and Pakistan. This bridge connects the "Srinagar-Sopore-Tangdhar-Teetwal road" in India to the "Muzaffarabad-Nausadda-Kundal Shahi road" in Pakistan.

### Rail

The nearest railway stations to Teetwal are Baramulla railway station 118 kilometres (73 mi) and Sopore railway station 116 km away, both are on Baramulla-Sopore-Srinagar-Jammu railway line and these are reachable by a 3.5 hour drive by road from Tangdhar.

### Air

The nearest airport is Srinagar International Airport located at a distance of 168 kilometres (104 mi) respectively.

