Q. Which state has two capitals

Himachal Pradesh operates with two capitals: Shimla serves as the summer capital, while Dharamshala (specifically McLeod Ganj in Kangra district) has been designated as the winter capital since 2017, though the full transition remains incomplete with most government offices still functioning from Shimla year-round. This dual-capital system was designed to promote balanced regional development and ease administrative congestion in Shimla, though practical implementation has faced logistical challenges and administrative inertia.

Beyond Himachal Pradesh, several other Indian states and union territories have dual capital arrangements or seasonal capital shifts. Jammu and Kashmir union territory alternates between Srinagar (summer capital) and Jammu (winter capital) in a practice dating back to the erstwhile princely state. Maharashtra has a unique arrangement where Mumbai is the permanent capital, but Nagpur hosts the winter session of the state legislature. Additionally, Andhra Pradesh has been in transition with Amaravati designated as the capital under construction, though recent governments have proposed a three-capital model (executive capital in Visakhapatnam, legislative capital in Amaravati, and judicial capital in Kurnool), creating ongoing political controversy. These dual-capital arrangements typically aim to distribute development more equitably across regions, accommodate climatic factors (especially in hilly states where winter governance from hill stations becomes challenging), or resolve political tensions between different regions within a state, though they also create coordination challenges and increase administrative costs.