Kanchrapara

Kanchrapara is a city and a municipality[1] of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).

Kanchrapara
City
Cityscape of Kanchrapara
Kanchrapara
Location in West Bengal, India
Kanchrapara
Kanchrapara (India)
Coordinates: 22.94563°N 88.43322°E / 22.94563; 88.43322
Country India
StateWest Bengal
DistrictNorth 24 Parganas
RegionGreater Kolkata
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • BodyKanchrapara Municipality
 • ChairmanSudama Ray
Area
 • Total9.07 km2 (3.50 sq mi)
Elevation
10 m (30 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total129,576
 • Density14,000/km2 (37,000/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialBengali, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
743145
Telephone code+91 33
Vehicle registrationWB
Lok Sabha constituencyBarrackpore
Vidhan Sabha constituencyBijpur
Websitenorth24parganas.nic.in, kanchraparamunicipality.org.in

History

From early historical period, geographically, this area had been full of swamps, natural riverine lake, low land, water bodies sparse village-settlements surrounded by deep jungle infested with wild animals of all kinds. Barring a few pockets, the area was considered unfit for human habitation.

However, around this area, there were several dozen villages more or less prosperous, such as Mallickbaag, Kanchanpalli or Kanchrapara, Bhawanipur, Ghoshpara, Chandua and Kampa. This area underwent development from 1862– the Sealdaha Kusthia Broad Gauge Railway Line, through 1863– construction of a 132,000-square-metre (1,420,000 sq ft) locomotive workshop and railway station on the northernmost tip of Bizpur Mouza, undertaken by Eastern Bengal State Railway. In 1914 a carriage and wagon shop were added. Subsequently, a planned Railway Township was laid and built to the East & South West of the Workshops with a wide range of infrastructure – roads, drains, bridges, street lights, internal Railway lines, parks, Institutes, Administrative Buildings, Technical School, Hospital, Co-operative shopping stores, Bazaar, playgrounds for football, Tennis, golf, theatre attached to each institute (Hindmarsh Institute, Bell Institute, Spalding Institute), Officers' Club etc. The resulting population increase caused the construction of huts and pucca buildings, necessitating the expansion of Municipal infrastructure beyond the Railway area. The Kanchrapara Municipality was established in the year 1917 AD, at the enterprise of William Harnett and others. This city was named Kanchrapara since the Railway Station at Bijpur was named after the then village Kanchanpalli or Kanchrapara. It was prosperous economically and culturally, being the seat of many stalwarts of Baishnab literature and early Bengali literature, as well as famous Vaidyas.[2]

Geography
Cities and towns in the northern portion of Barrackpore subdivision in North 24 Parganas district
M: municipal city/ town, CT: census town,
N: neighbourhood, OG: outgrowth
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Location

Kanchrapara is located at 22.56°N 88.26°E / 22.56; 88.26.[3] It has an average elevation of 10 metres (32 feet).

Kanchrapara is bounded by Kalyani and Gayespur in Nadia district on the north, Jayanpur, Palladaha, Kampa, Srotribati, Chandua and Jetia on the east and Halisahar on the south and west. Bijpur is a neighbourhood in Kanchrapara.[4][5]

96% of the population of Barrackpore subdivision (partly presented in the map alongside) lives in urban areas. In 2011, it had a density of population of 10,967 per km2 The subdivision has 16 municipalities and 24 census towns.[6]

For most of the cities/ towns information regarding density of population is available in the Infobox. Population data is not available for neighbourhoods. It is available for the entire municipal area and thereafter ward-wise.

All places marked on the map are linked in the full-screen map.

Neighbourhoods

Kanchrapara railway station is in the city's north-east. On its Western Side lies the Greater Kanchrapara. One enters its central market area through the Station Road, which is a two-lane road. Then is the central roundabout of the city, the city's heart – Gandhi More. One road from Gandhi More leads to the 1.5 km long Workshop Road off to the esteemed Kanchrapara Railway Workshop towards the south and another road, Kabi Guru Rabindra Path, which is a 4 km long main road running westwards from Gandhi More till it merges with Rani RashmoniGhat Road, at Bagmore, the city's westernmost locality. Along the KGR Path, in the order of their increasing distance from the Kanchrapara Station, the major neighbourhoods are Gandhi More-Mondal Bazar, Moti Bazar, Kalinagar, Gyan Mukul School Chottor, Shri Laxmi Cinema More, Kanchrapara College More, Litchubagan, Joramandir, Milannagar, Kumore Para, and finally Bagmore. The Eastern Side of the Station is called Little Kanchrapara or Gram (Rural) Kanchrapara. Here lies Kampa, which houses the Kanchrapara Airfield and the Indian Army Camp. Nearby is Jonepur, which is home to a significant minority Christian population.

Police station

Bijpur police station under Barrackpore Police Commissionerate has jurisdiction over Kanchrapara and Halisahar Municipal areas.[7][8]

Post Office

Kanchrapara has a delivery sub post office, with PIN 743145 in the North Presidency Division of North 24 Parganas district in Calcutta region. The other post offices with the same PIN are Bagermore, Binodnagar, Chandmari Road, Palashi, Kanchrapara Loco Shop, Barajonepur, Chandua, Majhipara and Saliadaha.[9]

Demographics

Population
Population of Kanchrapara 
CensusPopulation %±
192110,332
—
193115,00545.2%
194124,01560.0%
195156,668136.0%
196168,96621.7%
197178,76814.2%
198198,81625.5%
1991111,60212.9%
2001135,19821.1%
2011129,576−4.2%
Source:[10]

As per the 2011 Census of India, Kanchrapara (municipal area + outgrowth) had a total population of 129,576, of which 65,436 (51%) were males and 64,140 (49%) were females. Population below 6 years was 9,947. The total number of literates in Kanchrapara was 108,092 (90.36% of the population over 6 years).[11]

As of 2001 India census,[12] Kanchrapara had a population of 126,118. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Kanchrapara has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 86%, and female literacy is 76%. In Kanchrapara, 8% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Kolkata Urban Agglomeration

The following Municipalities, Census Towns and other locations in Barrackpore subdivision were part of Kolkata Urban Agglomeration in the 2011 census: Kanchrapara (M), Jetia (CT), Halisahar (M), Balibhara (CT), Naihati (M), Bhatpara (M), Kaugachhi (CT), Garshyamnagar (CT), Garulia (M), Ichhapur Defence Estate (CT), North Barrackpur (M), Barrackpur Cantonment (CB), Barrackpore (M), Jafarpur (CT), Ruiya (CT), Titagarh (M), Khardaha (M), Bandipur (CT), Panihati (M), Muragachha (CT) New Barrackpore (M), Chandpur (CT), Talbandha (CT), Patulia (CT), Kamarhati (M), Baranagar (M), South Dumdum (M), North Dumdum (M), Dum Dum (M), Noapara (CT), Babanpur (CT), Teghari (CT), Nanna (OG), Chakla (OG), Srotribati (OG) and Panpur (OG).[13]

Infrastructure

As per the District Census Handbook 2011, Kanchrapara Municipal city covered an area of 9.06 km2. Amongst the civic amenities it had 160.23 km of roads and both open and closed drains. Amongst the educational facilities It had 48 primary schools, 14 middle schools, 14 secondary schools, 14 senior secondary schools, 1 degree college for arts/science/commerce and 8 non-formal education centres. Amongst the social, recreational and cultural facilities it had 3 stadiums, 2 auditoriums/ community halls, 3 cinema/theatres, 6 public libraries and 6 reading rooms. It had several bank branches, including those of Indian Bank, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, UCO Bank, Punjab National Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank among others.[14] Kanchrapara has 3 petrol pumps, one near Gandhi More(East Kanchrapara), another at Litchu Bagan(Central Kanchrapara), and a yet another at Bagmore(West Kanchrapara)

See also Cities and towns in Barrackpore subdivision

Economy

Kanchrapara Railway Workshop

Kanchrapara Railway Workshop was established by Eastern Bengal Railway in 1863. It served the defence department for repairs to aircraft and manufacture of armoured cars and grenade shells during World War II. With the introduction of electric traction in eastern India in 1962, Kanchrapara Railway Workshop was made a base workshop for periodic overhauling of electric locomotives and electric multiple stock of Eastern Railway and South Eastern Railway. It ranks first among the Indian Railways workshops in terms of number of EMU coaches overhauled and second in terms of number of electric locomotives overhauled. The Loco Complex mainly deals with repair and overhaul of electric locomotives and EMU motor coaches. The Carriage Complex deals with periodical overhauling of suburban and mainline EMU trains, DEMU trains, non-AC coaches, accident relief train vans and 8 wheeler tower cars.[15]

Timber Industry

Wooden furniture-making and timber harvesting are the major economic factors at Kanchrapara.[16]

KMDA

Kanchrapara Municipality is included in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area for which the KMDA is the statutory planning and development authority.[17][18]

Transport
Kanchrapara railway station

Culture

Kanchrapara has the Krishna-Raya Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, which is a point of attraction.[16] Other attractions of the town include religious temples like the Dakat Kali Mandir and Station Kali Bari.[19][20] The Kanchrapara Municipality organises Vivek Chetana Utsav, Subhash Chetana Utsav and Rabindra Jayanti every year to commemorate the birth anniversaries of Vivekananda, Subhash Chandra Bose and Rabindranath Tagore respectively. The Vishwakarma Puja is conducted in the Kanchrapara Railway Workshop every year with great pomp and splendour. Annual Cricket tournament, the Kanchrapara Premiere League (KPL), is held in the playground behind the Kanchrapara College during the winter.

Education

There is a college named Kanchrapara College under the University of Kalyani.

Schools such as Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 Kanchrapara and Kendriya Vidyalaya No.2 Kanchrapara are also present in the locality which are under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. Other well known educational institutes are St.Joseph's School, Kanchrapara Harnett English Medium School (C.B.S.E), Kanchrapara Harnett High School for Boys, Kanchrapara Indian Girls' High School, Kanchrapara Sharada Devi Uchcha Baalika Vidyalaya, Jonepur High School for Boys, Jonepur Girls School, Kanchrapara High School (W.B.B.S.E.), Kanchrapara Albatross School, Kanchrapara Shree Mandhari High School (H.S) (Hindi Medium), Kanchrapara Janta High School (H.S) (Hindi Medium), Kanchrapara Ram Prasad High School (H.S) (Hindi Medium). Kanchrapara houses Indira Gandhi National Open University centre from where students can receive higher distance education at minimal costs.

Healthcare

Kanchrapara Railway Hospital functions with 220 beds and Shibani Arogya Niketan with 8 beds.[21] North 24 Parganas district has been identified as one of the areas where groundwater is affected by arsenic contamination.[22]

Cuisine

Kanchrapara is well renowned for its sweets- especially its gujiya and traditionally cooked rasgulla. In the recent years, Kanchrapara has seen a sudden uprise in Biriyani Outlets. KFC and Domino's have their outlets in the city.

Notable people

References
  1. District-wise list of statutory towns Archived 2005-03-19 at the Wayback Machine
  2. A BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH OF KANCHRAPARA MUNICIPAL TOWN
  3. Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Kanchrapara
  4. "District Census Handbook North Twenty Four Parganas, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A" (PDF). Map of Barrackpore I CD Block on Page 365. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
  5. "District Census Handbook: Nadia, Series 20 Part XII A" (PDF). Map of Chakdah CD Block on Page 511. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal, 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  6. "District Statistical Handbook". North 24 Parganas 2013, Tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.4b. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  7. "District Statistical Handbook". North 24 Parganas 2013, Tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.4b. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  8. "Barrackpore Police Commissionerate". List of Police Stations with telephone numbers. West Bengal Police. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  9. "Kanchrapara PIN Code". pincodezip.in. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  10. "District Census Handbook North Twenty Four Parganas, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A" (PDF). Section II Town Directory, Pages 781–783 Statement I: Growth History, Pages 799–803. Directorate of Census Operations V, West Bengal. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  11. "2011 Census – Primary Census Abstract Data Tables". West Bengal – District-wise. Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  12. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  13. "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011" (PDF). Constituents of Urban Agglomeration Having Population Above 1 Lakh. Census of India 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  14. "District Census Handbook North Twenty Four Parganas, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A" (PDF). Section II Town Directory, Pages 781–783 Statement I: Growth History, Pages 799–803; Statement II: Physical Aspects and Location of Towns, Pages 791–794; Statement III: Civic and other Amenities, Pages 795–796; Statement IV: Medical Facilities 2009, Pages 803–805 Section: Educational, Recreational and Cultural Facilities. Directorate of Census Operations V, West Bengal. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  15. "History of Kanchrapara Worksho". Eastern Railway. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  16. India 9
  17. "Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authoity, Annual Report 2010-11". 1/1 Kolkata Metropolitan Area Map. KMDA. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  18. "Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, Annual Report 2010-11". 1 / 2 Role of KMDA. KMDA. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  19. "Dakat Kali Mandir at Kanchrapara". juprojectblog.wordpress.com. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  20. https://rangandatta.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/halisahar-and-kanchrapara-temples-and-pilgrimage/
  21. "Health & Family Welfare Department". Health Statistics. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  22. "Groundwater Arsenic contamination in West Bengal-India (19 years study)". Groundwater arsenic contamination status of North 24-Parganas district, one of the nine arsenic affected districts of West Bengal-India. SOES. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
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