Bidhannagar (ISO: Bidhānanagar), also known as Salt Lake City is a city and a municipal corporation 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). During the Salt Satyagraha, the people of Mahishbathan between present day Salt Lake and Rajarhat Newtown joined the Salt Satyagraha movement by preparing salt using indigenous methods. The main initiator of the movement was Lakshmikant Pramanik, the zamindar of Mahishbathan. Bidhannagar's Salt lake is a planned region of Kolkata. It was planned and developed between 1958 and 1965 to accommodate the burgeoning population of Kolkata. Bidhannagar's Master Planner and Chief Architect was Dobrivoje Toskovic from SFR Yugoslavia, now Serbia. Bidhannagar (including Salt lake) in Kolkata metropolitan area is under the administration of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. Keeping with its original name, it is commonly referred to as Salt Lake City. Bidhannagar's architecture has modern landmarks, such as the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan or Salt Lake Stadium. The city is considered the main IT hub of Eastern India and Kolkata, West Bengal. Bidhannagar is located on the north-east side of Kolkata. The Nabadiganta Industrial area of Bidhannagar has always played a key role in the economic health of the city area. As of April 2019, Sector V of Bidhannagar had approx 1,500 company. The East Kolkata Wetlands is recognized as a Ramsar site, located within the city limits of Bidhannagar.

Etymology

The city is named after Bidhan Chandra Roy, the founder of Salt Lake area of the city, the second Premier of West Bengal (1948–1950) and The first Chief Minister of West Bengal.

Demographics

At the 2011 census, Bidhannagar Municipality had a population of 218,323 (males 111,363; females 106,960) in an area of approximately 13.16 square km with a density of about 16,590 persons per square kilometre. However, the area of Bidhannagar Municipality was 33.50 square km (much bigger than Salt Lake City) because it includes East Kolkata Wetlands area, where very few floating people live. Bidhannagar Municipality has an average literacy rate of 90.44% (higher than the national average of 74%), with male literacy of 93.08% and female literacy of 87.69%.

Geography

Salt Lake is located in the southeastern part of West Bengal. The city area sits within the lower Ganges Delta of eastern India. The Salt Lake area of Kolkata city was formed by land reclamation, which was done in the 1950s and 1960s to accommodate the growing population. Salt Lake is located on the north eastern area of Kolkata, the state capital; 65.2 km west of Ghojadanga, a border checkpoint; and 128 km north of Bakkhali. According to the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, the city area has a total area of 55.51 sqkm, with approx 30.51 sqkm of it being land, and approx 25 sqkm, or 45.5% of the total, being covered by water. It has an average elevation of 11 metres (49 ft). East Kolkata Wetlands lies across the southern part of the city. It is one of the two Ramsar sites in West Bengal, the other being the Sundarban Wetland.

Government and public services

Civic administration

Bidhannagar is administered by several government agencies. The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, or BMC, oversees and manages the civic infrastructure of the city's 6 boroughs, which together encompass 41 wards. Each ward elects a councilor to the BMC. Each borough has a committee of councillors, each of whom is elected to represent a ward. By means of the borough committees, the corporation undertakes urban planning and maintains roads, government-aided schools, hospitals, and municipal markets. The functions of the KMC include water supply, drainage and sewerage, sanitation, solid waste management, street lighting, and building regulation. Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) was created in January 2006. It supplies water; maintains sewerage, roads, street signals; furnishes important buildings and collects property tax and fees in Sector - V (excluded from the jurisdiction of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation).

Police

The Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate is responsible for law enforcement in the city area. Out of 13 police stations of Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, 9 police stations are engaged in controlling law and order in city area.

Transport

The modes of transportation like other parts of Kolkata includes air conditioned/non-ac government/private buses, Yellow taxi and other popular options like auto rickshaw and e-rickshaws. The Howrah Maidan - Salt Lake Sector V - Teghoria (Haldiram) Line (Line 2) of the Kolkata Metro is in operation since 14 February 2020, now connects Salt Lake Sector V and Sealdah. The New Garia – Dum Dum Airport Line (Line 6) of the Kolkata Metro, which passes through the Salt Lake Bypass, is under-construction with cost inflation and delays.

Education

Colleges

Schools

Schools in Salt Lake include the: Catholic schools include: