Himachal Pradesh News : Shimla, which was the summer capital during the British rule, is a city of historical buildings. The historical buildings here are full of history. There is one such building in Shimla, whose green color and vastness is a matter of curiosity for everyone. Today this big building houses the Indian Army Training Command.

This is the same building where the British Indian Army also had its headquarters. The walls of this historic and beautiful building are also witnesses to the strategies that were being prepared for victory during the First and Second World Wars.

What is the history of this large group of buildings?

The history of this building says that from 1864 to 1939, the headquarters of the Indian Army was in Shimla. This strong structure was built here with brick, iron and concrete to house the offices of the Commander-in-Chief as well as the army and civil establishments. The Government Press and Masonic Hall were built here. It was built on the design of the Peabody buildings of London. The structures were built by the Richardson and Cudas firm between September 1882 and March 1885. At that time, the office of the Commander-in-Chief was in the topmost block. During the First and Second World Wars, all operations were planned and executed from these offices.

Shimla RTRAK is one of the seven operational commands

After independence in 1947, the Western Command of the Indian Army was formed. Its headquarters remained in these buildings from 1954 to 1985. The Indo-Pak wars of 1965 and 1971 were planned and conducted from here. In 1985, when the headquarters of the Western Command was transferred to Chandi Mandir, these buildings were used for some time by the Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh Area Headquarters.

The Army Training Command was established in Mhow in 1991. It was then transferred to Shimla in 1993. Since then, the headquarters is located in the same buildings. One of the seven operational commands, RTRAK is responsible for the training of the Indian Army.