Which of the following statements are True for hill stations in the colonial period?

A. The founding of hill stations was initially connected with the needs of the British army.
B. They served as sanitariums for soldiers.
C. They were important for the colonial economy.
D. The British were able to prevent Indians from settling in hill stations.
E. The buildings were deliberately built in the European style.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

A, B, C and E only

The correct answer is Option (1) → A, B, C and E only

A. The founding of hill stations was initially connected with the needs of the British army.
B. They served as sanitariums for soldiers.
C. They were important for the colonial economy.
E. The buildings were deliberately built in the European style.

Statement D- The British were able to prevent Indians from settling in hill stations is incorrect as The introduction of the railways made hill stations more accessible to a wide range of people including Indians. Upper-and middle-class Indians such as maharajas, lawyers and merchants were drawn to these stations because they afforded them close proximity to the ruling British elite.

Explanatory text from NCERT:

As in the case of cantonments, hill stations were a distinctive feature of colonial urban development. The founding and settling of hill stations was initially connected with the needs of the British army (STATEMENT A). Simla (present-day Shimla) was founded during the course of the Gurkha War (1815-16); the Anglo-Maratha War of 1818 led to British interest in Mount Abu; and Darjeeling was wrested from the rulers of Sikkim in 1835. Hill stations became strategic places for billeting troops, guarding frontiers and launching campaigns against enemy rulers.

The temperate and cool climate of the Indian hills was seen as an advantage, particularly since the British associated hot weather with epidemics. Cholera and malaria were particularly feared and attempts were made to protect the army from these diseases. The overwhelming presence of the army made these stations a new kind of cantonment in the hills. These hill stations were also developed as sanitariums (STATEMENT B), i.e., places where soldiers could be sent for rest and recovery from illnesses.

Because the hill stations approximated the cold climates of Europe, they became an attractive destination for the new rulers. It became a practice for Viceroys to move to hill stations during the summer months. In 1864, Viceroy John Lawrence officially moved his council to Simla, setting the seal to the practice of shifting capitals during the hot season. Simla also became the official residence of the commander-in-chief of the Indian army.

In the hill stations the British and other Europeans sought to recreate settlements that were reminiscent of home. The buildings were deliberately built in the European style (STATEMENT E). Individual houses followed the pattern of detached villas and cottages set amidst gardens.The Anglican Church and educational institutions represented British ideals. Even recreation activities came to be shaped by British cultural traditions. Thus social calls, teas, picnics, fetes, races and visits to the theatre became common among colonial officials in the hill stations.

The introduction of the railways made hill stations more accessible to a wide range of people including Indians. Upper-and middle-class Indians such as maharajas, lawyers and merchants were drawn to these stations because they afforded them close proximity to the ruling British elite.

Hill stations were important for the colonial economy (STATEMENT C). With the setting up of tea and coffee plantations in the adjoining areas, an influx of immigrant labour from the plains began. This meant that hill stations no longer remained exclusive racial enclaves for Europeans in India.