Barasat

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?Barasat West Bengal • India
Barasat
Coordinates: 22°43′N 88°29′E / 22.72, 88.48
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 4 m (13 ft)
District(s)	North 24 Parganas
Population • Density	237,783 (2001) • 2,223 /km² (5,758 /sq mi)
Municipality Chairman	Pradip Chakrabarty ^[1]
MP	Subrata Bose
MLA	Bithika Mondal
Codes • Pincode • Telephone • Vehicle	• 700124 to 700126 • +91 33 • WB26
Website: north24parganas.nic.in/

Coordinates: 22°43′N 88°29′E / 22.72, 88.48

Barasat (Bangla: বারাসাত) is a city in the outskirts of Calcutta, West Bengal, India and is the district head quarter of the district North 24 parganas. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority.^[2]The town is an important railway and roadway junction. Barasat is also the name of a sub-division centering the city.

As an urban setup in the vicinity of the Kolkata, the town is within the area of Greater Calcutta. Several significant roads like National Highway 34 (Krishnanagar Road leading towards North Bengal), Jessore road ( road leading to Jessore in Bangladesh via Bongaon) ; Road leading to Basirhat etc. cross through the town.

[edit] History

For a considerable time Barasat town was the headquarters of a joint magistracy, known as the Barasat District, but in 1861, on a readjustment of boundaries Barasat district was abolished by order of government, and was converted into a subdivision of the Twenty-four Parganas.

The town has important historical contributions, including historical landmarks such as the first Nilkuthi (establishments of the initial English settlers who started the cultivation of indigo dye), the Bungalow of Lord Hastings, the Bungalows of Magistrates of 24 Parganas and the site of hanging of Maharaja Nandkumar. In 1831 under the leadership of Syed Ahmed and his disciples, Mear Niser Ali or Titumir, Barasat witnessed movements like the Ferazee disturbances against the British dominion in India before the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.

[edit] Geography

Barasat is located at 22.23° N 88.45° E.^[3] Barasat is located in the Ganges Brahmaputra delta region in the district of North 24 parganas,West Bengal state in the eastern India. The Bangladesh border - at Petrapole is situated about 70/ 80 km from the city.

The average altitude is 11 metres. No notable river flows by the river. The nearest one is Ganges itself — about 15 km to the west. The city is in the Gangetic plain lacking any hills.

Barasat is 23 km from Sealdah Station on the Sealdah–Bangaon branch line. It is at one end of the Barasat-Basirhat-Hasnabad branch line of Eastern Railway.^[4]

[edit] Climate

The climate is tropical — like the rest of the Gangetic West Bengal. The hallmark is the Monsoon — from early June to mid September. The weather remains dry during the winter (mid November to mid February) and humid during summer.

Temperature :41 °C in May(Max) and 10 °C in January(Min)

Relative Humidity: Between 50% in March & 96% in July

[edit] Economy

An important trade centre for rice, legumes, sugarcane, potatoes, and coconuts, cotton weaving is the major industry in Barasat.

There are a major textile mill and a rubber factory near the town. However one can find many small industries in and around the town. The business of the city is mainly retailing, though there are dealers who supply mainly to the rest of the district.

The major occupation of the residents is service. The proximity to Kolkata helps residents commute daily to Kolkata.There are a lot of businessmen as well.

[edit] Administration

Barasat is the administrative headquarter of the district of North 24 Parganas.All headquarters of the district administrative level are situated here. Barasat also has the District Court.

Barasat was constituted a municipality in 1869.Barasat is a municipal area under the governance of Barasat Municipality (Phone number (033) 2552-3211) .

Administrative Phone Numbers

[edit] Politics

[edit] The Lok Sabha constituency

Subrata Bose (AIFB) was elected MP from Barasat (Lok Sabha constituency) in 2006. Following is the data of 14th Loksabha election[1]: No. of Electors 1388,017 Polling Stations 1, 529 No. of Contestants 10 Polling percentageage 83.3

[edit] The Vidhan Sabha Constituency

The Legislative Assembly Constituency is Barasat. The present M.L.A is Bithika Mondal of All India Forward Bloc.

[edit] Transport

[edit] Road

"cycle-van" and other vehicles on a railway-crossing

From Calcutta,Take V.I.P Road (Najrul Islam Sarani) off Ultadanga (V.I.P.Crossing) to reach Airport Gate No. 1 and take right to Jessore Road (National Highway 34).Barasat is 8 kilometres straight drive from this crossing.

Barasat is a major roadway junction. The National Highway 34 (initially under the name Krishnanagar Road) goes towards north ultimately to the North Bengal and is the major link between Calcutta and the North-East India.

The Jessore road leads to Bongaon (National Highway 35) and ultimately to the Bangladesh border at Petrapole.

The Taki road leads to Basirhat, Hasnabad and Taki, near the Bangladesh border.

The Barrackpore road links National Highway 35 at Barasat with Kalyani Expressway and Barrackpore.

[edit] Rail

Barasat Junction is the railway station, on Bongaon line of Sealdah Station (North Section). This junction is where Bongaon line and Hasnabad-Basirhat line of Kolkata Suburban Railway get separated.

The Barasat - Basirhat Railway line was originally run by Martin's Light Railway. Now it is a section under Sealdah division of Eastern Railways.

[edit] Air

Dumdum Airport ( Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport ) is 15 kilometres from Barasat.

[edit] Intra city transport

Mainly depends on cycle-rickshaws and, quite interestingly, the three-wheeled man-driven "cycle-vans". Auto rickshaws ply between Barasat and nearby areas. Several buses connect the town with Kolkata, other suburbs of Kolkata and the other towns of West Bengal.The bus service to Kolkata is extremely frequent.

[edit] Demographics

Population is 237783 according to 2001 census.[2] Again unit barasat-2 has a population of 168828 [3]

Population density 2223 per square km. As of 2001 India census^[5], Barasat had a population of 231,515. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Barasat has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 54% of the males and 46% of females literate. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. 45 percent of the population of the surrounding araes is Muslim , and Madrassa education is extremely important for them.

[edit] Culture

The culture milieu in Barasat reflects the usual culturel characteristics of similar small towns in Bengal.The educated middle-class community continues to perpetuate the Bengali cultural manifestations like drama, recitation, classical music, songs and dances, while young Turks take a rather revolutionary stand and let out their feeling in the form of minor Little Magazines and socially relevant functions like health check up camps etc.

In Barasat some religious ashrams like the ashrams of Pranabananda,Prabhu Jagadbandhu[4], Shibananda Dham, Hazarat Ekdil Shah Darga etc are located.

The cultural diversity has increased over the years with the infiltration of more people from Bangladesh.An annual fair held in honour of a Muslim saint, Hazarat Ekdil Shah is attended by both Muslims and Hindus, since hundreds of years.

[edit] Education

The town's schools are either run by the state government or by private organisations. Schools mainly use English or Bengali as the medium of instruction. The schools are affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), or the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Under the 10+2+3 plan, after completing their secondary education, students typically enrol in a 2 year junior college (also known as a pre-university) or in schools with a higher secondary facility affiliated with West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. Students usually choose from one of three streams — liberal arts, commerce, or science, though vocational streams are also available. Upon completing the required coursework, students may enrol in general or professional degree programmes.

[edit] Schools

Barasat Government High School

Barasat Peary Charan Sarkar Government High School

Mahatma Gandhi School

Nabapally Boys' High School

Kalikrishna Girls' High School

Barasat Girls' High School

The Central Modern School

Barasat Satya Bharati Vidya Pith

Kalyani Public School

Banamalipur Priyanath Institution

Barasat Indira Gandhi Memorial High School

Kazipara Hazarat Ekdil Shah Higher Secondary School

Ashwinipalli High School

Indira Gandhi Memorial High School

Nabapally Jogendranath Balika Vidyamandir

[edit] Colleges

Barasat Government College,K.N.C. Road, Barasat

Barasat College, previously Evening College, I, Kalyani Road, Barasat , 24- Paraganas

[edit] Media

Some small local newspapers and magazines (SABUJER ABHIJAN, KAMOR etc.) are there. However the scenario is dominated by the media of Calcutta (Kolkata). Bengali language newspapers like Anandabazar Patrika, EKDIN, Aajkaal, Bartaman, Sangbad Pratidin and Ganashakti are widely circulated. Regional and national English newspapers such as The Telegraph, The Statesman, Asian Age, Hindustan Times and The Times of India are available. Kolkata's radio stations are available here. Seven local FM stations: AIR Kolkata (FM Rainbow & FM Gold), Radio Mirchi (98.3 MHz), Red FM (93.5 MHz), Aamar FM (106.2 MHz), Gyan Vani (105.4 MHz), and Power FM (107.8 MHz) are available. The state-owned television broadcaster Doordarshan provides two free terrestrial channels, while MSO provide a mix of Bengali, Hindi, English and other regional channels via cable.

[edit] Sports

Football (soccer) is the passion of the citizens. Cricket is also played with great fanfare. Besides Indian sports like Kabbadi, kho-kho are also played.

The Barasat stadium holds some matches of the Kolkata football league and also several district-level, state-level and, infrequently, national level tornaments of several games like Volleyball, soccer etc.