In the wake of the 1857 War, the Military Department of the Government of India, expanded its survey of lower Himalayas, to identify suitable locations for building "sanitaria and cantonments" for "quartering" British soldiers and military units.

The move to locate cantonments in "cool and healthy hill stations" was justified on strategic, and health grounds.

In the following decade several cantonments, including in Balun (Dalhousie), Bakloh, Chakrata, Ranikhet, in the western lower Himalayas, were established.

It has been classified as a category IV Cantonment by Director General of Defence estates.

JS Bhardwaj, Commander 323 Mountain Brigade, is the President of the Cantonment Board.

[4] The cantonment board runs a primary school (24 students), a small hospital (two beds), and a guest house.