The City of Taxila
The antique name 'Takshasila' means the city of cut stones. Taxila has gained
worldwide eminence for its archaeological sites. Once a province of the powerful
Achaemenian empire, Taxila was conquered by Alexander in 327 BC. It later came
under the Mauryan dynasty and attained a remarkably mature level of development
under the great Ashoka. Then appeared the Indo-Greek descendants of Alexander's
warriors and finally came the most creative period of Gandhara. The great Kushan
dynasty was established some where near 50 AD. During the next 200 years Taxila
became a renowned centre of learning, philosophy, art and religion, Jaulian
being a centre of excellence or a university of that age. Pilgrims and travelers
were attracted to it from as far away as China and Greece.
History took a new turn around 1950 when Ordnance Factories were founded at
Wah, adjacent to Taxila. The country's largest Mechanical Complex and Foundry
were established at Taxila in mid sixties. In early seventies, the industrial
progress attained a new dimension when Taxila was chosen to have Heavy Industries
Taxila near its world famous museum. At the same time Pakistan's largest Aeronautical
Complex was established at Kamra which is about 45 km from Taxila. In mid seventies,
government of the Punjab found the city ideally suitable for establishing the
constituent college of University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore.
Industrial progress in and around Taxila is gaining a newer pace. The neighboring
industrial organizations are in the process of rapid expansion. A new industrial
zone has emerged in Hattar area, which is about 20 km away from Taxila. Taxila
is emerging as a leading industrial region at the national level. The strategic
location is paving way for the city to act as a gateway to historical “Silk
Route”.
The University
With phenomenal increase in students' enrollment in 1970's, a plan to establish
additional campuses of the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore was
conceived. As a result of that, the University College of Engineering Taxila
was established in 1975. For three years it functioned at Sahiwal. In 1978 it
was shifted to its permanent location at Taxila. The College continued its working
under the administrative control of the University of Engineering and Technology,
Lahore till October 1993. During this month it received its charter as an independent
university under the University of Engineering and Technology Taxila Ordinance
1993. At present total enrollment of undergraduate and postgraduate students
is above 2000.
Location
The University campus is located on the outskirts of Taxila at a distance of
5 km from the city. It is situated near railway station Mohra Shah Wali Shah
on Taxila-Havelian branch line. The city of Taxila is 35 km from the twin cities
of Islamabad and Rawalpindi on the main Rawalpindi- Peshawar highway. The University
buses commute daily between the campus and the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi
and Wah Cantt. The campus covers an area of 163 acres. All the teaching departments,
residential colony for teachers/ employees, student hostels, guesthouse, post
office and bank are housed on campus.