Kolkata is located in the eastern part of India. It has spread linearly along the banks of the Hooghly River. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has an area of 205 square kilometres. [1] The city is near sea level, with the average elevation being 17 feet. [2] The whole area is in the Ganges Delta which starts within 100 km south of the city. Most of the city was originally marshy wetlands, remnants of which can still be found especially towards the eastern parts of the city.
Indo-Gangetic Plain, the soil and water are predominantly alluvial in origin. Kolkata is located over the "Bengal basin", a pericratonic tertiary basin. [3] Bengal basin comprises three structural units: shelf or platform in the west; central hinge or shelf/slope break; and deep basinal part in the east and southeast. Kolkata is located atop the western part of the hinge zone which is about 25 km (16 mi) wide at a depth of about 45,000 m (148,000 ft) below the surface. [3] The shelf and hinge zones have many faults, among them some are active. The total thickness of sediment below the Kolkata is nearly 7,500 m (24,600 ft) above the crystalline basement; of these the top 350–450 m (1,150–1,480 ft) is quaternary, followed by 4,500–5,500 m (14,760–18,040 ft) of tertiary sediments, 500–700 m (1,640–2,300 ft) trap wash of cretaceous trap and 600–800 m (1,970–2,620 ft) permian-carboniferous Gondwana rocks. [3] The quaternary sediments consist of clay, silt, and several grades of sand and gravel. These sediments are sandwiched between two clay beds: the lower one at a depth of 250–650 m (820–2,130 ft); the upper one 10–40 m (30–130 ft) in thickness. [4] According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, on a scale ranging from I to V in order of increasing susceptibility to earthquakes, the city lies inside seismic zone III. [5]
Spread roughly north–south along the east bank of the Hooghly River, Kolkata sits within the lower Ganges Delta of eastern India; the city's elevation is 1.5–9 m (5–30 ft). [6] The city is fringed by extensive mangrove ecosystems and tidal flats. [7]
The Kolkata metropolitan area is spread over 1,886.67 km2 (728.45 sq mi) [8] : 7 and comprises 4 municipal corporations (Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Howrah Municipal Corporation and Chandernagore Municipal Corporation), 37 local municipalities (Bally Municipality is merged with Howrah Municipal Corporation and Rajarhat-Gopalpur Municipality is merged with Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, so total number of municipalities becomes 37 from 39) and 24 panchayat samitis.
The urban agglomeration encompassed 72 cities and 527 towns and villages, as of 2006 [update] . [9] Suburban areas in the Kolkata metropolitan area incorporate parts of the following districts: Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Nadia. [10] : 15 Kolkata, which is under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), has an area of 205 km2 (79 sq mi). [11] The east–west dimension of the city is comparatively narrow, stretching from the Hooghly River in the west to roughly the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in the east—a span of 9–10 km (5.6–6.2 mi). [12] The north–south distance is greater, and its axis is used to section the city into North, Central and South Kolkata. East Kolkata is also a section.
North Kolkata is the oldest part of the city. Characterised by 19th-century architecture, all include areas such as Dum Dum, Shyambazar, Hatibagan, Maniktala, Kankurgachi, Rajabazar, Shobhabazar, Shyampukur, Tala, Sonagachi, Kumortuli, Bagbazar, Jorabagan, Burrabazar, Jorasanko, Phoolbagan, Ultadanga, Chitpur, Nagerbazar, Lake Town, Bangur Avenue, Pathuriaghata, Cossipore, Belgachia, Sinthee and Baranagar. [13] : 65–66
Central Kolkata hosts the central business district. It contains B. B. D. Bagh, formerly known as Dalhousie Square, and the Esplanade on its east; Strand Road is on its west. [14] The West Bengal Secretariat, General Post Office, Reserve Bank of India, High Court, Lalbazar Police Headquarters, and several other government and private offices are located there. Another business hub is the area south of Park Street, which comprises thoroughfares such as Chowringhee, Camac Street, Wood Street, Loudon Street, Shakespeare Sarani and A. J. C. Bose Road. [15] The Maidan is a large open field in the heart of the city that has been called the "lungs of Kolkata" [16] and accommodates sporting events and public meetings. [17] The Victoria Memorial and Kolkata Race Course are located at the southern end of the Maidan. Other important areas of Central Kolkata are Park Circus, Sealdah, Beliaghata, College Street, Burrabazar, Bowbazar, Taltala, Janbazar, Entally, Chandni Chowk, Lalbazar, Chowringhee, Dharmatala, Rabindra Sadan, Tiretti Bazaar, Bow Barracks, Babughat, Princep Ghat and Hastings. Another important park is Millennium Park on Strand Road, beside the Hooghly River. Fort William, on the western part of the city (besides Maidan), houses the headquarters of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army. [18]
South Kolkata developed mainly after India gained independence in the year 1947. It includes upscale neighbourhoods such as Ballygunge, Alipore, New Alipore, Lansdowne, Bhawanipore, Kalighat, Gariahat, Southern Avenue, Chetla, Jodhpur Park, Lake Gardens, South City, Jadavpur, Dhakuria, Tollygunge,. [19]
East Kolkata is largely composed of newly developed areas like Topsia, Picnic Garden, Tangra, Gobra, Kustia, Tiljala, Anandapur, East Kolkata Twp, Panchasayar, Garia, Madurdaha, Nayabad, Kalikapur, Purbalok, Mukundapur, Ajoy Nagar, Hiland Park, Chak Garia, Patuli. In the pace of rapid urbanization and growing demand for housing and commercial spaces, the New Town, Kolkata was created on the eastern outskirts of Kolkata to serve the dual purpose of establishing a new business centre to reduce the mounting pressure on the existing Central Business Districts (CBD) and increasing housing stock supply by creating new residential units.
Technically Howrah and the urban part of Hooghly all have individual identities alongside they are the part of Kolkata Metropolis. Likewise Howrah city is a twin city of Kolkata city. Nabanna, Santragachi, Belur, Bally, Uttarpara, Konnogar, Rishra, Serampore, Bhadeswar, Chinsurah, Hooghly, Chandannagor and Bandel all cities under Kolkata Metropolitan Area, having their fragrance of history, culture. This area is called "Little Europe Of India". All areas are well connected with the city centre.
Kolkata has a Tropical wet-and-dry climate, with summer monsoons. The annual mean temperature is 29.2 °C (84.6 °F); monthly mean temperatures range from 19 to 30 °C (66 to 86 °F) and maximum temperatures can often exceed 45 °C (113 °F) during May–June. Winter tends to last from December to early-February, with the lowest temperatures hovering in the 12 °C — 14 °C range during December and January. The highest recorded temperature is 43 °C (109 °F) and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F). [20]
Monsoon is the most notable phenomenon in the climate of the city. Maximum rainfall occurs during the monsoon in August (306 mm) and the average annual total is 1,582 mm. Early morning mists and evening smog occur often due to temperature inversions. Summer is dominated by strong southwesterly monsoon winds. The city's total duration of sunshine is 2,528 hours per annum, with the maximum insolation occurring in March. [21] Often during early summer, spells of thunderstorms and heavy rains lash the city, bringing some relief from the heat and intolerable humidity. These thunderstorms are locally known as Kalbaishakhi (Nor-wester). According to a United Nations Development Programme report, its wind and cyclone zone is a "very high damage risk". [5]
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)With the Camac Street-Park Street-Shakespeare Sarani commercial hub located smack in the middle of the affected zone ...
To Kolkata, it is the 'lungs of the city,' a recharge zone for the soul.
22°34′22″N88°21′50″E / 22.5726723°N 88.3638815°E
Kolkata, also known as Calcutta, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, 80 km (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary financial and commercial centre of eastern and northeastern India. Kolkata is the seventh most populous city in India with an estimated city proper population of 4.5 million (0.45 crore) while its metropolitan region Kolkata Metropolitan Area is third most populous metropolitan region of India with a metro population of over 15 million. Kolkata is regarded by many sources as the cultural capital of India and a historically and culturally significant city in the historic region of Bengal.
Howrah is an important city of Kolkata Metropolis in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively Howrah city lies within Howrah district and is the headquarters of the Howrah Sadar subdivision. Howrah city also falls under Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. Howrah station is an famous transportation hub and also a gateway to Kolkata’s oldest CBD viia Kolkata Metro Rail’s Green line and Howrah Bridge. Howrah Rail Junction is the largest railway station of India and it is extensively connected to every part of India.
Howrah railway station is a railway station located in the city of Howrah, West Bengal at Kolkata metropolitan region,India. It is the largest and busiest railway complex in India, as well as one of the busiest and largest train stations in the world. It is also the oldest surviving railway complex in India. Howrah is one of the five large intercity railway stations serving the Kolkata metropolitan area, the others being Sealdah, Santragachi, Shalimar and Kolkata railway station.
Halisahar is a city and a municipality 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).
Howrah district is a district of the West Bengal state in eastern India. Howrah district is one of the highly urbanized area of West Bengal. It has thousands of years of rich heritage in the form of the great Bengali kingdom of Bhurshut. The district is named after its headquarters, the city of Howrah.
Maidan is a large urban area containing vast urban green space, parks, playgrounds and several public venues in the center of Kolkata, India. The area is spread over a total area of 1283 Acres. The urban green space of Maidan, which compromises an area of around 400 acres, is the largest urban park and urban green space in Kolkata city and second largest in the Kolkata metropolitan area as well as in India. Prior to 2013, before the creation of Eco Park it was the largest urban park in India. Its vast stretch of field that includes numerous sporting grounds, including the famous cricketing venue Eden Gardens, several football stadiums and the Kolkata Race Course.
Bidhannagar, also known as Salt Lake City is a satellite city of Kolkata in 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). The population within city limits was 218,323 at the 2011 census, it has increased since 2001 census. After a successful extension of the city limits in June 2015, Bidhannagar's population increased to 6.7 lakhs (670,000) residents. It is now the fourth-most populous city in West Bengal, after Kolkata, Howrah and Asansol.
Kolkata the Capital of the Indian state of West Bengal has a good transportation system. Kolkata's transport system is diverse, with a mix of modern and traditional modes of transport catering to the city's large population. The primary modes include:
Baidyabati is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the State of West Bengal in India. It is under Serampore police station of Srirampore subdivision. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Bansberia is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is about 45 km (28 mi) away from Kolkata, at the western end of the Iswar Gupta Setu (Kalyani-Bansberia) Bridge. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). Bans Beria railway station is 4 km from Bandel Junction on the Bandel-Katwa Line.The area covered by two police stations - Chinsurah (W.no.1-4) and Mogra (W.no.5-22). The part of both Police Stations governed by Chandannagar Police Commissionerate. Very good and innocent people live here so, The criminal reports are very few in this city. It is the "Peaceful City" of Hooghly District. Kartik Puja is the famous festival of Bansberia.
Bhadreswar is a city and a municipality of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Uluberia is a city and a municipal area of Howrah district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarter of the Uluberia subdivision. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). This city is famous for its industrial belts.
Dankuni is a city and a industrial town of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is now part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). It is considered posh area in Hooghly. Positioned strategically near Kolkata, it has emerged as an important industrial and commercial center in the region. The city's landscape is characterized by a mix of residential areas and industrial zones, reflecting its dual identity as a place of habitation and economic activity.
Belgharia is a locality in Kamarhati Municipality 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) and a vital locality in Greater Kolkata. Dakshineswar Kali Temple is approximately 3 km from Belgharia railway station. The Vivekananda Setu on the Hooghly River is one of the oldest bridges in Kolkata established for the connection between the city of Howrah and Kolkata is also at the adjacent area of Belgharia.
The civic administration of Kolkata is executed by several government agencies, and consists of overlapping structural divisions. Kolkata's administrative agencies have areas of jurisdiction that do not coincide.
Pilkhana is a neighbourhood in Howrah, West Bengal, India. It was the slum about which Dominique Lapierre's bestselling book City of Joy was written. Pilkhana has at least tens of thousands of residents. It is near to Howrah Station. A Haliman High School exists here. The area has significant Hindu and Muslim populations. Pilkhana is of industrial character. It is a part of Howrah Uttar. The Salesians of Don Bosco are present in Pilkhana.
Line 2 is a rapid transit metro line of the Kolkata Metro in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It currently consists of two distinctly operational sections between Sector-V to Sealdah Metro, and Esplanade to Howrah Maidan by going underneath the Hooghly River, with an eastern extension planned for Teghoria. It will cover a distance of 22 km (14 mi) and consist of 17 stations from Teghoria (Haldiram) in the east to Howrah Maidan in the west, of which it will consist of 11 elevated and 6 underground stations, and the operational section consists of 6 elevated and 6 underground stations, with a total distance of 13.1 km (8.1 mi). It is expected to derive a very high ridership, since it will connect India's two largest commuter railway and long-distance railway terminals, Howrah and Sealdah, along with two of its largest business districts, BBD Bagh and Salt Lake Sector V. At present, more than 100,000 passengers commute through the line every day, and this figure is expected to go up to 1 million after it gets fully completed by 2035. It will also connect the industrial hub of Kolkata, i.e., Howrah and the IT hub of Kolkata, i.e., Salt Lake Sector-V. It connects Line 1 at Esplanade and will eventually connect Lines 3 and 6.
Howrah metro station is a metro station of Kolkata Metro Line 2 in Howrah, India. Built underneath Howrah railway station's new and old complex, the metro station allows interchanging with other zones of Indian Railways as part of the Howrah station transport hub. It is the deepest metro station in India. To the east, the station connects to Mahakaran station in Kolkata through India's biggest under-river metro tunnel beneath the Hooghly river; whilst to the west the adjacent station is Howrah Maidan.
East West Metro Tunnel is an underwater river tunnel of Kolkata Metro in Kolkata, West Bengal. The river tunnel is constructed underneath Hooghly River. It is the biggest underwater river tunnel of India, which is made for metro rail service. The East West Metro Tunnel length is 10.8 km (6.7 mi) and width is 5.5 metres. A 520 m stretch of the tracks goes through a tunnel under the Hooghly River. The roof of the tunnel is about 30 metres from the ground level. The tunnel was completed in 2021. The tunnel is used by East West Metro Line for metro rail service by Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation and it was constructed by Afcons Infrastructure.
