Loni, Ghaziabad

Lore & Background

Loni is a city in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh, India, governed by the Loni Municipal Council under the Ghaziabad Metropolitan Region. Its name comes from the Hindi word *lon*, meaning salt, derived from the Sanskrit *lavaṇa*, a reference to the salt-rich land surrounding the settlement. Historically, Loni appears in the Mughal-era *Ain-i-Akbari* as a *pargana* under the Delhi *sarkar*, where it generated a substantial imperial revenue and maintained a brick fort. In the 14th century, the town and its fort were the site of a brutal episode during Timur’s invasion, when, before a battle against Delhi’s Tughlaq sultan, Timur ordered the slaughter of a hundred thousand adult Hindu captives to eliminate the risk of a rear attack. Geographically, Loni lies in the Upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab, a fertile alluvial plain between the two rivers. It has an average elevation and is noted as one of the world’s 20 most polluted cities according to the 2024 World Air Quality Report. The city’s population, per the 2011 census, is 516,082, with a literacy rate of 75.24%, higher than the national average; Hindi is the predominant language, with Urdu also spoken. Loni is well-connected by road, rail, and air, with the Noli Railway Station handling over 26 trains daily and serving about 12,000 passengers, and the Delhi Metro’s Pink Line now extends to the Shiv Vihar station within the city. The Loni Nagar Palika Parisad, established in 1971, administers 55 wards and reported total revenue receipts of ₹47 crore and expenditures of ₹77 crore in 2022–23.

Reader's Guide

Loni’s history is recorded in the Mughal-era *Ain-i-Akbari*, where it was listed as a *pargana* under Delhi’s *sarkar*, contributing substantial revenue and supplying troops. In the 14th century, Timur’s invasion targeted the town and its brick fort shortly before the battle against Delhi’s Tughlaq sultan; Timur ordered the mass killing of adult Hindu captives to prevent a rear attack during the coming fight. The city’s name derives from the Hindi word for salt, reflecting its location in a salt-rich area. Geographically, Loni lies in the fertile Upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab, though it is also one of the world’s twenty most polluted cities according to a 2024 air quality report. The city is governed by a municipal council and became a separate tehsil in 2015, containing about 49 villages. Its population exceeds half a million, with Hindi and Urdu spoken and a literacy rate above the national average. Infrastructure includes a moderate road network, multiple railway stations (including one handling over two dozen trains daily), and a Delhi Metro Pink Line station at Shiv Vihar. Many residents commute daily to Delhi, Noida, and Greater Noida. The municipality reported revenues of ₹47 crore and expenditures of ₹77 crore in 2022–23, with tax revenue making up a small share of income.

Did You Know?

• In the 14th century, Timur invaded the town and fort of Loni and ordered the slaughter of a hundred thousand adult Hindu males.
• Loni is the terminus of GAIL's world's longest LPG pipeline, running 1,415 km from Jamnagar, Gujarat to Loni, Uttar Pradesh.