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Durgapur

Planned Urban Agglomeration and Major Industrial Hub of West Bengal, India

Durgapur

Summary

Planned Urban Agglomeration and Major Industrial Hub of West Bengal, India

FieldValue
nameDurgapur
settlement_typeUrban Agglomeration
image_skyline{{multiple image
borderinfobox
space1
total_width275
perrow1/2/2
caption1Durgapur aerial view along AH1
image2NIT Durgapur front .jpg
caption2Statue of Bidhan Chandra Roy in NIT Durgapur
caption3Durgapur Barrage
image4Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport on November 2020.jpg
caption4Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport
image5Shram Vir Statue, Durgapur Steel Plant - panoramio (1).jpg
caption5Durgapur Steel Plant
nicknameRuhr of India
pushpin_mapIndia West Bengal#India3#Asia
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameIndia
subdivision_type1State
subdivision_name1West Bengal
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Paschim Bardhaman
established_titleEstablished
established_dateLate 1950s
founderBidhan Chandra Roy (former Chief Minister of West Bengal)
named_forDurgacharan Chattopadhyay
government_typeMunicipal Corporation
governing_body
leader_titleMayor
leader_nameAnindita Mukherjee
leader_title1Legislature
leader_name1{{Collapsible listbullets=yes
titleMembers
1MP Kirti Azad (Bardhaman–Durgapur; TMC)
2MLA Pradip Mazumdar (Durgapur Purba; TMC)
3MLA Lakshman Chandra Ghorui (Durgapur Paschim; BJP)
leader_title2Executive
leader_name2{{Collapsible listbullets=yes
titleOfficers
1IAS Sh. Ponnambalam S., DM, Paschim Bardhaman
2IAS Smt. Aditi Chaudhary, Commissioner of Asansol Municipal Corporation & CEO, ADDA
3IPS Sunil Kumar Choudhary, CP, Asansol–Durgapur Police Commissionerate (in the rank of IG)
4IAS Ms. Nitu, ADM, Paschim Bardhaman
5IAS Ms. Subashini E., ADM, Paschim Bardhaman
6WBCS Sanjoy Paul, ADM
7WBCS Aranya Banerjee, ADM
8WBPS Mir Sahidul Ali, ADC
9WBPS Subrata Deb, ADC
10WBPS Pradip Mondal, ADC
leader_title3Judiciary
leader_name3{{Collapsible listbullets=yes
titleJudges
1AIJS Shri Debaprasad Nath, District & Sessions Judge
2WBJS Mohd. Aqil Saifi, ADSJ
3AIJS Lokesh Pathak, ADSJ
4WBJS Shri Prashant Chowdhary, ADSJ
5WBJS Md. Rafique Alam, ADSJ
unit_prefMetric
area_footnotes
area_urban_km2154.20
area_metro_km2771.28
area_rank4th in West Bengal
elevation_m65
population_urban726,000
population_as_of2024
population_metro1,209,372
population_demonymDurgapurbashi, Durgapurians
population_density_km2auto
population_rank4th in West Bengal
demographics_type1Languages
demographics1_title1Official
demographics1_info1Bengali
demographics1_title2Additional official
demographics1_info2English
timezone1IST
utc_offset1+5:30
postal_code_typePIN
postal_code713201–713217
area_code_typeTelephone code
area_code+91 0343
registration_plateWB-39 / WB-40
blank1_name_sec1Lok Sabha constituency
blank1_info_sec1Bardhaman–Durgapur
blank2_name_sec1Vidhan Sabha constituency
blank2_info_sec1Durgapur Purba
Durgapur Paschim
blank3_name_sec1Climate
blank3_info_sec1Aw
blank4_name_sec1Transit
blank4_info_sec1Highway: NH-19
Grand Trunk Road
AH1
Railway: DGR
Airport: Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport
blank5_name_sec1City Development Authority
blank5_info_sec1Asansol Durgapur Development Authority (ADDA)
website

the city in West Bengal

Durgapur Paschim Grand Trunk Road AH1 Railway: DGR Airport: Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport

Durgapur (), is a major industrial hub and a planned urban agglomeration in the Indian state of West Bengal. It stands on the northern bank of the Damodar river and is located in Paschim Bardhaman district. Durgapur is a major centre for producing steel and manufacturing train wheels in India. Over the past few years, this city has also been developed as a hub for the IT industry in India. The city was planned by Bidhan Chandra Roy, Joseph Allen Stein and Benjamin Polk in 1955. Durgapur is the only city in eastern India to have an operational dry dock. Durgapur has been nicknamed the 'Steel Backbone of Industrial Bengal'.

History

Ancient settlements

Stone hunting equipment used by hunters from the prehistoric period has been excavated from Durgapur which shows that the human settlement of thr Durgapur area dates back to around 5000 BC. The Damodar-Ajay River Valley witnessed the growth of settled life simultaneously during the Harappa-Mohenjo Daro civilization.

Etymology

Around 1765, Gopinath Chattopadhyay secured a lease for a portion of Jangalmahal (now part of Durgapur) from the Maharaja of Bardhaman. This area later became known as Gopinathpur Mouja. Gopinath worked to transform this dense forest into a habitable area. His descendant, Durgacharan Chattopadhyay, continued the effort and established a new colony in the present Sagarbhanga region of Durgapur. In 1793, he erected a Kali temple, followed by a Shiva temple in 1803. The Zamindar house in Sagarbhanga stands as a testament to Durgacharan’s substantial contributions.

In 1855, when the East India Company laid the railway line between Bardhaman and Andal, the station was named Durgapur, a tribute to Durgacharan’s efforts by the local community. This marked the formalization of the name ‘Durgapur,’ gaining significance as a railway hub in the country.

Grand Trunk Road

As the colonial era unfolded, Durgapur became a strategic outpost along the Grand Trunk Road. British administrative records narrate the city’s transformation from a hamlet to a bustling settlement.

Post-Independence

Following India’s independence in 1947, Durgapur underwent a remarkable metamorphosis under the visionary leadership of Bidhan Chandra Roy, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. The city was chosen as the site for the second integrated steel plant in India, setting the stage for rapid industrialization and urbanization.

Geography

Map of Paschim Bardhaman district

Location

Durgapur is located at . It has an average elevation of 65 m.

Durgapur is in the Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, on the bank of the Damodar River, just before it enters the alluvial plains of Bengal. The topography is undulating. The coal-bearing area of the Raniganj coalfields lies just beyond Durgapur; some parts intrude into the area. The area was deeply forested until the end of 20th century and some streaks of the indigenous sal and Mahua forests can still be seen scantily.

R: temple, mosque, P: park, F: facility, N: neighbourhood, W: works, factory Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly Places marked on this map, which have a separate page, are linked in the larger full screen map |mark-coord1= | label-pos1=right|label1= Durgapur Steel Township|labela1=A Zone|numbered1=N| mark-title1=DSP A Zone Sorry, no page|label-color1=#800000 |label-size1=12| mark-size1=13|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1=#800000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2 |mark-coord2= | label-pos2=right|label2= Durgapur Steel Township|labela2=B Zone | mark-title2= DSP B Zone Sorry, no page| numbered2=N|label-offset-y2=-2 |mark-coord3= | label-pos3=right|label3= Durgapur Steel Township|labela3=C Zone | mark-title3= DSP C Zone Sorry, no page| numbered3=N |mark-coord4= | label- =right|label4= Benachity| numbered4=N| mark-title4= Benachity Sorry, no page |mark-coord5= | label-pos5=right|label5= CMERI Colony| numbered5=N| mark-title5= CMERI Colony Sorry, no page |mark-coord6= | label-pos6=right|label6= City Centre| numbered6=N| mark-title6= City Centre Sorry, no page |mark-coord7= | label-pos7=right|label7= MAMC Township| numbered7=N| mark-title7= MAMC Township Sorry, no page |mark-coord8= | label-pos8=right|label8= Fuljhore| numbered8=N| mark-title8= Fuljhore Sorry, no page |mark-coord9= | label-pos9=left|label9= Bidhannagar| numbered9=N| mark-title9= Bidhannagar Sorry, no page |mark-coord10= | label-pos10=right|label10= Sagarbhanga| numbered10=N| mark-title10= Sagarbhanga Sorry, no page |mark-coord11= | label-pos11=right|label11= DPL Township| numbered11=N| mark-title11= DPL Township Sorry, no page |mark-coord12= | label-pos12=left|label12= APL Township| numbered12=N| mark-title12= APL Township Sorry, no page |mark-coord13= | label-pos13=right|label13= Angadpur| numbered13=N| mark-title13= Angadpur Sorry, no page |mark-coord14= | label-pos14=right|label14= DVC DTPS Colony| numbered14=N| mark-title14= DVC DTPS Colony Sorry, no page |mark-coord15= | label-pos15=right|label15= Old Court HSCL Colony| numbered15=N| mark-title15= Old Court HSCL Colony Sorry, no page |mark-coord16= | label-pos16=right|label16= Sukanta Pally| numbered16=N| mark-title16= Sukanta Pally Sorry, no page |mark-coord17= | label-pos17=right|label17= Durgapur railway station| numbered17=F| mark-title17= Durgapur railway station|shape-color17=#C42222 |mark-coord18= | label-pos18=left|label18= Durgapur City Court| numbered18=F| mark-title18= Durgapur City Court Sorry, no page|shape-color18=#C42222 |mark-coord19= | label-pos19=right|label19= Nehru Stadium| numbered19=F| mark-title19= Nehru Stadium Sorry, no page|shape-color19=#C42222 |mark-coord20= | label-pos20=left|label20= Sidhu Kanhu Indoor Stadium| numbered20=F| mark-title20= Sidhu Kanu Indoor Stadium|shape-color20=#C42222 |mark-coord21= | label-pos21=right|label21= CMERI| numbered21=C| mark-title21= Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute |shape-color21=#C42222 |mark-coord22= | label-pos22=left|label22= NIT-Durgapur| numbered22=C| mark-title22= National Institute of Technology, Durgapur |shape-color22=#C42222 |mark-coord23= | label-pos23=left|label23= Dr. B.C.Roy Engg College| numbered23=C| mark-title23= Dr. B.C. Roy Engineering College, Durgapur |shape-color23=#C42222 |mark-coord24= | label-pos24=left|label24= Bengal College of Engg & Tech| numbered24=C| mark-title24= Bengal College of Engineering & Technology |shape-color24=#C42222 |mark-coord25= | label-pos25=right|label25= SAIL Durgapur Steel Plant| numbered25=W| mark-title25= Durgapur Steel Plant |mark-coord26= | label-pos26=right|label26= SAIL Alloy Steels Plant| numbered26=W| mark-title26= Alloy Steels Plant Sorry, no page |mark-coord27= | label-pos27=bottom|label27= Durgapur Projects Limited| numbered27=W| mark-title27= Durgapur Projects Limited Sorry, no page |mark-coord28= | label-pos28=right|label28= Phillips Carbon Black Ltd.| numbered28=W| mark-title28= Philips Carbon Black Ltd. Sorry, no page |mark-coord29= | label-pos29=right|label29= MAMC| numbered29=W| mark-title29= Mining & Allied Machinery Corporation Sorry, no page |mark-coord30= | label-pos30=bottom|label30= APL (Alstom Projects)| numbered30=W| mark-title30= Alstom Projects (India) Ltd. Sorry, no page |mark-coord31= | label-pos31=|label31= DVC DTPS| numbered31=W| mark-title31= Durgapur Thermal Power Station |mark-coord32= | label-pos32= right|label32= Durgapur Barrage| numbered32=W| mark-title32= Durgapur Barrage |mark-coord33= | label-pos33=right|label33= Bhiringi Maa Kali Mandir| numbered33=R| mark-title33= Bhiringi Maa Kali Mandir Sorry, no page|shape-color33=#A40000 |mark-coord34= | label-pos34=right|label34= ISKCON Mandir| numbered34=R| mark-title34= Durgapur ISKCON Mandir Sorry, no page|shape-color34=#A40000 |mark-coord35= | label-pos35= left|label35= Ram Mandir| numbered35=R| mark-title35= Bidhannagar Ram Mandir Sorry, no page|shape-color35=#A40000 |mark-coord36= | label-pos36=right|label36= Anand Amusement Park| numbered36=P| mark-title36= Anand Amusement Park Sorry, no page|shape-color36=green |mark-coord37= | label-pos37=bottom|label37= Mohan Kumaramangalam Park| numbered37=P| mark-title37= Mohan Kumaramangalam Park Sorry, no page|shape-color37=green |mark-coord38=| label38=Damodar River| label-color38 = #77A1CB| label-angle38=30| label-pos38=top| label-size38=10| mark-size38=0| mark-title38 =none |mark-coord39= | label-pos39=right|label39= SAIL DSP |labela39= Administrative Building| numbered39=W| mark-title39= Durgapur Steel Plant |mark-coord40= | label-pos40=right|label40= Durgapur Cement/ |labela40= Birla Cement| numbered40=W| mark-title40= M.P Birla Group}}

Environment

Durgapur has been ranked 35th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 2 3-10L Population cities) in India.

Climate

|Durgapur |9|22|14 |15|29|19 |19|36|25 |24|45|31 |26|41|87 |26|42|275 |26|37|334 |25|35|338 |25|34|239 |22|32|78 |17|28|15 |10|25|24 Durgapur experiences a somewhat transitional climate between the tropical wet and dry climate of Kolkata and the more humid subtropical climate further north. Summers are extremely hot and dry, lasting from March to the middle of June, with average daily temperatures exceeding 45 °C. They are followed by the monsoon season with heavy precipitation and somewhat lower temperatures. Durgapur receives most of its annual rainfall of around 1,320 mm during this season. The monsoon is followed by a cold, dry winter from November to January. Temperatures are cold, with average daily temperatures dropping near 9 °C. There is a short autumn at the end of October and a short spring in February, both of which have relatively moderate temperatures of around 20 °C. Due to the heavy rainfall it has received in recent years, for almost five months of heavy rainfall every year, locals often refer to the city as "Chhota Cherapunji" (named after the main city of Cherapunji).

Law administration

Police stations

Aurobindo Police Station, located in Durgapur Steel Township, opposite to Office of Commissioner of Police (Asansol-Durgapur) has jurisdiction over parts of Andal CD Block. The area covered is 87 km2 and the population covered is 292,841. It has following investigation centres under it.

Investigation CentreAddress
B-Zone Investigation Centre
City Centre Investigation Centre
Faridpur Investigation Centre
Waria Investigation Centre
DTPS Investigation Centre

Coke Oven police station, located near the Durgapur Railway Station, has jurisdiction over parts of the Durgapur municipal corporation. The area covered is 49 km2 and the population covered is 136,181.

Durgapur Women PS has jurisdiction over the Durgapur Subdivision

New Township police station, located in MAMC township, has jurisdiction over parts of the Durgapur municipal corporation and the Faridpur Durgapur CD Block. The area covered is 23 km2, and the population covered is 160,411. It has a police Outpost located in Bidhannagar under its jurisdiction.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Durgapur Urban Agglomeration had a population of 566,937 out of which 294,349 were male and 272,588 were female. The 0–6 year population was 50,512. Effective literacy rate of the population was 87.70. Durgapur Municipal Corporation included and 3 census towns: Bamunara, Arra, and partly Andal.

In the 2011 census, Durgapur Municipal Corporation had a population of 581,409 out of which 301,700 were male and 279,709 were female. The 0–6 year population was 51,930. Effective literacy rate of the population was 87.84.

Religion

According to Census of India 2011, Hinduism is the predominant religion in this city, followed by Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, and others. Out of the 5,66,517 people living in Durgapur (Municipal Corporation); 5,19,122 are Hindus (91.63%), 35,923 are Muslims (6.34%), 1889 are Christians (0.36%), 2346 are Sikhs (0.44%), 513 are Buddhists, 382 are Jains, 906 are other religions, and 5436 (1.04%) did not state their religion.

Languages

At the time of the 2011 census, 82.99% of the population spoke Bengali, 11.15% Hindi, 1.84% Santali, and 1.03% Urdu as their first language.

Economy

Durgapur is the biggest industrial hub of West Bengal and was planned as an integrated industrial city. It is the most developed city in West Bengal in terms of technology, infrastructure, and economy next to Kolkata and contributes a substantial amount to the economy of the state of West Bengal. It lies on the banks of Damodar River and near to the coalfields of Raniganj. Durgapur was a dream of former prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru and chief minister of West Bengal, Bidhan Chandra Roy. The 1948-founded Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) is essential to the growth of the area. The first project in Durgapur was Damodar Valley Corporation's Durgapur Barrage which attracted many public sector units. Durgapur Steel Plant was the first PSU established in the region in 1955 with the help of U.K which was later undertaken by SAIL. Later, an alloy plant was established by Hindustan Steel Ltd. in 1965 which was also acquired by SAIL. From 1951 to 2019, industrial units in the region grew from 46 to 430, with engineering units rising from 18 to 66 and basic metal units booming from 2 to 122. The area's economic strength is driven by its rich coal deposits, excellent transportation, and skilled labor force, making it a key economic hub in West Bengal and Eastern India.

Inside Durgapur Steel Plant

Mining and Allied Machinery Corporation (MAMC) was established in 1964 with the help and support from USSR (now closed but reviving with J.V of Bharat Earth Movers, Coal India & DVC). Hindustan Fertilisers Corporation (HFC) was a major PSU which produced fertilizer but got closed down (now RCF showed interest to reopen it). Bharat Opthlamic Glass Limited (BOGL) was established in 1972 used to manufacture electronic valves and other electronic components. Its closure was approved in 2006.

Durgapur Chemicals Limited (DCL) was set up by the Government of West Bengal in 1963 to boost the chemical needs of the state. DCL started its journey in 1968 and was involved in commercial production of Phenol, phthalic anhydride, monochloro benzene, pentachloro Phenol, caustic soda, chlorine and hydrochloric acid. Although not closed, but the Government of West Bengal decided to disinvest in DCL in 2016 as it had increasingly become a sick industry.

Durgapur Projects Limited (DPL) was the first thermal power station in the city. It was commissioned by the Government of West Bengal in 1960. It has eight production units of which only two are currently operational. The whole city of Durgapur and the surrounding areas get electricity supply from DPL. It is currently owned by West Bengal Power Development Corporation.

Major Indian and international MNCs have their production facilities in Durgapur which includes GE Power India Limited (formerly ACC Babcock Limited which was later taken over by Alstom), Scania and Komatsu (in partnership with Larsen & Toubro), Philips Carbon Black, Sankey Wheels (a unit of GKW), Birla Cement (earlier Durgapur Cement Ltd.), Graphite India Limited, etc.

Durgapur is also an emerging IT and real estate hub. The Government of West Bengal's Webel IT Park houses some of well known as well as startup software companies generating employment opportunities for the youth of the region. It is set to develop many proposed residential areas like DLF's Durgapur Township. Companies like Tata Consultancy Services (a major Indian multinational IT company) etc. have their branch office and back office respectively in the city.

Transport

Road network

Durgapur has a well-defined hierarchical road system comprising approximately 1,780 km of roads, categorized as arterial, sub-arterial, and collector roads.

  • Arterial and Sub-Arterial Roads: ~ 480 km

    • Some of the Major corridors include:
      • NH-19
      • Jawaharlal Nehru Avenue
      • Mahatma Gandhi Road
      • Sarat Chandra Avenue
      • Bidhan Chandra Roy Avenue
      • Hahnemann Avenue
      • Bankura Road
      • Bidhan Sarani
      • SSB Sarani
      • Shahid Khudiram bose Sarani
      • Shastri Avenue
      • Zakir Hussain Avenue
  • Collector Roads: ~1,300 km

These are generally 7-meter-wide roads serving local traffic within neighborhoods.

Planned areas such as the DSP Township, SEPCO, MAMC, and Bidhan Nagar follow grid or modular patterns with wide roads and proper junctions. In contrast, unplanned areas like Benachity, Bhiringi, Fuljhore, and Palashdiha exhibit organically developed and often narrower road layouts with limited connectivity and lower right-of-way.

The study reports that arterial roads in the planned areas have wider right-of-way (up to 50 m) compared to unplanned areas (as narrow as 15 m). Roads in industrial areas are generally 2-lane undivided roads with inadequate width for the volume of heavy vehicles.

Durgapur is a gateway to the districts of Bankura, Birbhum (Bolpur, Rampurhat, Suri), and Purulia. NH 19 (old numbering: NH 2) passes through the city jurisdiction and SH 9 originates from Muchipara in the city. NH 14 (old numbering NH 60) passes through the north-western suburb of Pandabeswar and finally passes through Raniganj and heads away towards Odisha. It is one of the few cities that has an Asian Highway (AH) passing directly through the city jurisdiction. The AH1 links Japan with Turkey, through Korea, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.

Durgapur has three bus termini at Durgapur Railway Station, Prantika (Prantika-I and II), and City Center. Within the city, private mini-buses operate from Durgapur Rly. Station to Prantika, via City Centre, Muchipara and various other routes within the city. Muchipara is an important bus stop in Durgapur, from which all buses are available.

Intra City Routes within the city are as follows:

Route NameOrigin & DestinationAreas Covered
8BDurgapur Railway Station - PrantikaSagarbhanga, Muchipara, Bidhannagar, Fuljhore, Sepco (Only bus stop)
8ADurgapur Railway Station - PrantikaBirbhanpur, Angadpur, DTPS, Faridpur, Benachity.
A - ZoneDurgapur Railway Station - PrantikaGamon Bus stop, Garrage, DPL bus stop, 1st AB bus stop, City Centre, DSP Township.
B - ZoneDurgapur Railway Station - PrantikaGamon Bus stop, Garrage, DPL bus stop, 1st AB bus stop, City Centre, Kabiguru, SEPCO Township, IQ - City, DSP Township.
54 - FeetDurgapur Railway Station - PrantikaGamon Bus stop, Garrage, DPL bus stop, 1st AB bus stop, City Centre, Gandhi More, 54 Feet Area.
MAMCDurgapur Railway Station - PrantikaGamon Bus stop, Garrage, DPL bus stop, MAMC Township, Mamra, Sepco (Only bus stop).
Ichhapur, UkhraPrantika - Ichhapur.Dhandabag, Ichhapur, Ukhra.
BijraPrantika - BijraBijra.

Auto-rickshaws ply between City Center, Benachity, William Kery, Chandidas, Mamra, Bidhannagar, Railway Station, and other parts of the city in a number of routes. They also act as Feeder Routes to ensure last Mile connectivity. Pre-paid taxis are available in the city from railway stations. Additionally, online cab services like Ola, Uber, etc., and bike taxi services like Rapido are available within the city.

Ram Mandir in Bidhannagar, Durgapur, West Bengal, India

Only one bus is available for the Kalyani-Bansberia route and it departs from Prantika-II Bus Terminus at 4:40 am and from Kalyani at 10 am every day.

Various private and government buses ranging from sleepers to premium Volvos are available from City Center Bus Terminus and Station Bus Terminus for Kolkata, Asansol, Barddhaman, Barakar, Bhubaneswar, Digha, and other nearby cities. Durgapur is the headquarters of SBSTC which provides government bus services to Kolkata, Haldia, Digha, and Bankura, from Durgapur and Asansol. Private buses are available for Asansol, Barakar, Bardhaman, Bolpur, Bishnupur, Chittaranjan, Deoghar, Digha, Illambazar, Jhargram, Kalna, Katwa, Kharagpur, Krishnanagar, Medinipur, Nabadwip, Nalhati, Purulia, Rampurhat, Siuri, Tatanagar, and Tarakeswar, among others.

Air

Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport

The city is home to a domestic airport, the Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport. It is India's first private-sector Greenfield airport. It is located at a place called Andal which is roughly 15 kilometres from Durgapur's City Center Bus Terminus. And an old DSP Airport at Bijra near IQ city.

An air force station at Panagarh (Military Airfield), belonging to the Indian Air Force, is used as a base for a C-130J Hercules squadron.

Administrative changes

The administrative setup came in stages. In 1837, when Bankura district was formed, the Durgapur area was part of it. In 1847, the Raniganj subdivision was formed with three police stations – Raniganj, Kanksa, and Neamatpur – and it was made a part of the Bardhaman district. In 1906, the subdivisional headquarters was shifted to Burdwan, and the subdivision renamed accordingly. In 1910, the police stations in Asansol subdivision were Asansol, Ranigunj, Kanksa, Faridpur, and Barakar. On 14 April 1968, the Durgapur subdivision was carved out of Asansol subdivision. In 2011, the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate (ADPC) was formed by the state government.

Education

Colleges

National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, West Bengal, India

Durgapur is home to National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, an autonomous institution in eastern India of national importance. It is one of the 31 N.I.T.s in the country. N.I.T. Durgapur is one of the eight old Regional Engineering Colleges established in 1956.

Durgapur Government College is a premier government degree college not only in the home district of Paschim Barddhaman but also in the neighbouring districts of Bankura, Purulia, and Birbhum. It was established on 15 September 1970, and was affiliated to the University of Burdwan, which later got affiliated to Kazi Nazrul University.

The Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (also known as CSIR-CMERI Durgapur or CMERI Durgapur) is a public engineering research and development institution in Durgapur, West Bengal, India. It is a constituent laboratory of the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The institute is dedicated to work in the mechanical and allied engineering disciplines.

The National Power Training Institute (Also known as NPTI(ER) and formerly known as PETS, Durgapur) is an institute under Ministry of Power, Government of India which offers postgraduate education in the field of power plants. This institute is also associated with several industrial bodies for imparting training to plant personnel.

Dr. B.C. Roy Engineering College, Bengal College of Engineering and Technology, Sanaka Education Trusts Group of Institutions, NSHM Knowledge Campus, Durgapur Institute of Advanced Technology and Management and The Aryabhatta Institute of Engineering & Management are private engineering colleges which offer (B.Tech) in engineering and other degrees, including BBA, BCA, B.Pharm, and others. They are affiliated to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT). Durgapur Women's College and Michael Madhusudan Memorial College are general degree colleges affiliated to Kazi Nazrul University.

Netaji Subhas Open University is a state open university for imparting distance education. It is modelled on the Open University, UK and the IGNOU, and offers courses in different disciplines of graduate and post-graduate courses.

IQ City Medical College and Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital are two colleges which offer (MBBS) medical degree and paramedical courses. They are affiliated to West Bengal University of Health Sciences. Durgapur Paramedical College is another college which offers both a diploma and degree in paramedical courses.

Public schools

[[Jawaharlal Nehru]] with [[schoolchildren]] at Durgapur

Durgapur houses a large number of government aided and public schools in addition to two Kendriya Vidyalaya and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (under the Government of India). Notable private schools include: the St. Xavier's School and Guru Tegh Bahadur Public School.

Sports facilities

  • Nehru Stadium is the largest sports stadium in the city. It has a football ground, basketball and volleyball courts, athletic tracks, modern fully equipped gymnasium, etc.. It is managed by Durgapur Steel Plant Authority.
  • Sidhu Kanu Indoor Stadium houses sporting organisations and sporting associations of Burdwan district, including Durgapur Sub-divisional Women's Sports Association, School Sports Association-Durgapur Sub-division, Burdwan District Badminton Association, Burdwan District Table Tennis Association, and Burdwan District Physical Culture Association.

Media

Durgapur has several electronic media houses: Express News, DSTV (owned by DSP), India Hood Durgapur, Durgapur Darpan, Anandabazar Patrika is published from Ghutgoria, near Durgapur, in Bankura District. Samay Sanket is another newspaper published from Durgapur. Durgapur does not have any F.M. stations, however, All India Radio 100.3 FM, 92.7 Big FM, 93.5 Red FM, and Radio Mirchi 95 FM have stations at Asansol, and serve both Asansol and Durgapur.

Notable people

  • Abhisek Banerjee, Former Indian domestic cricketer.
  • Aishe Ghosh, Indian research scholar and student leader of SFI.
  • Aloke Paul, recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, Alumni of National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, Born in Durgapur.
  • Ananda Gopal Mukhopadhyay, Former Politician and Leader, Indian National Congress.
  • Bikash Sinha, chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur.
  • Bikramjit Basu, recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, Alumni of National Institute of Technology, Durgapur.
  • Bimal Mitra, Indian Bengali Author and author of Saheb Bibi Golam.
  • Dipali Saha, Politician, All India Trinamool Congress, won from Sonamukhi (Vidhan Sabha constituency), formerly within Durgapur.
  • Kalipada Bauri, Former Politician who won from Gangajalghati, formerly within Durgapur from Communist Party of India (Marxist).
  • Kamanio Chattopadhyay, recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, Alumni of National Institute of Technology, Durgapur.
  • Lalbihari Bhattacharya, Former Politician who won from Barjora (Vidhan Sabha constituency), formerly within Durgapur from Communist Party of India (Marxist).
  • Mamtaz Sanghamita, Former Member of Parliament, Bardhaman–Durgapur (Lok Sabha constituency) belonging to All India Trinamool Congress
  • Mika Singh, Indian Playback Singer and live performer.
  • Mrinal Banerjee, Former Minister of Power, State of West Bengal and former leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist).
  • Munmun Dutta, Indian Film Actress.
  • Nikhil Kumar Banerjee, Indian physician and Politician belonging to All India Trinamool Congress.
  • Prayas Ray Barman, Indian Cricketer, Youngest debutant in Indian Premier League.
  • Saidul Haque, Former Member of Parliament, Bardhaman–Durgapur (Lok Sabha constituency) belonging to Communist Party of India (Marxist)
  • Sandip Burman, Tabla Player and Musician.
  • Sri Zaheer, 12th and current dean of the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota.
  • Subir Chowdhury, CEO and MD of JCB India.
  • Sudip Chattopadhyay, Indian developmental biologist, biotechnologist and the dean of research and consultancy at the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur.
  • Sunil Kumar Mandal, Indian Politician and Member of Parliament, Purba Bardhaman, who previously won from Galsi, within Bardhaman–Durgapur (Lok Sabha constituency), from Forward Bloc.
  • S. S. Ahluwalia, Member of Parliament, Bardhaman–Durgapur (Lok Sabha constituency) belonging to Bhartiya Janata Party.
  • Tushar Dutta, Classical Music Vocalist.

References

References

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  2. "Asansol Durgapur Development Authority".
  3. "Fact and Figures".
  4. "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India". [[Ministry of Minority Affairs]].
  5. "Places to visit in Durgapur".
  6. মাঝি, দেবাশিস দাশগুপ্ত,সুমন. (2024-09-20). "দামোদরের ড্রেজিংয়ের ভাবনায় সরকার, চিন্তা নাব্যতা নিয়ে".
  7. "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above". Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011.
  8. [https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1798772 Durgapur Railway Wheel Manufacturing]
  9. "Durgapur {{!}} Industrial City, Steel Hub {{!}} Britannica".
  10. https://stpi.in/en/about-kolkata-durgapur {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
  11. Raza, Raqeeb. (2024-10-06). "23 Years Later: How an American Architect Shaped Modern Delhi's Steinabad".
  12. "History of Durgapur, Historical Places in Durgapur, Durgapur Past".
  13. Team, Editorial. (2024-01-16). "Historical Origins of Durgapur - Durgapur Hub".
  14. (7 September 2024). "Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024".
  15. "District Statistical Handbook 2014 Bardhaman". Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal.
  16. "Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate". Asansol Durgapur Police.
  17. "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above". Government of India.
  18. "Constituents of urban Agglomerations Having Population 1 Lakh & above". Government of India.
  19. "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above". Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011.
  20. (2011). "Table C-01 Population by Religion: West Bengal". [[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]].
  21. "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: West Bengal". [[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]].
  22. Rattan, Kamaljeet. (31 December 1988). "Public and private industries in dire straits in Durgapur".
  23. (2024-08-15). "All You Need to Know About Asansol, Durgapur & Raniganj".
  24. "Joint venture to revive MAMC".
  25. "RCF eyes Durgapur fertiliser unit".
  26. (22 August 2007). "DLF bags Durgapur project". The Economic Times.
  27. "KNIAIRPORT- Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport".
  28. (11 July 2018). "Panagarh to be IAF's second hub for C-130J Super Hercules planes". The Economic Times.
  29. "NIT DURGAPUR". nitdgp.ac.in.
  30. "Council of Scientific & Industrial Research | CSIR | GoI".
  31. "Welcome to CMERI". cmeri.res.in.
  32. "Welcome To NPTI Durgapur".
  33. Shibpur, Department of Architecture and Town & Regional Planning, IIEST. (2020). "Preparation of Integrated Development Plan for Durgapur Town".
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