Overview
North 24 Parganas is a district in the southern part of the Indian state of West Bengal. Formed on 1 March 1986 by the bifurcation of the erstwhile 24 Parganas district, it has its administrative headquarters at Barasat. The district forms part of the Kolkata Metropolitan Area on its southern edge and shares an international border with Bangladesh on the east. It is among the most populous districts in India.
Key facts
| Name | North 24 Parganas district |
|---|---|
| State | West Bengal |
| Country | India |
| Headquarters | Barasat |
| Formed | 1 March 1986 |
| Division | Presidency division |
| International border | Bangladesh (east) |
Geography
The district lies in the lower Gangetic delta. It is bounded by Nadia district to the north, Bangladesh to the east, South 24 Parganas district and the city of Kolkata to the south, and the Hooghly River to the west, separating it from Howrah and Hooghly districts. The terrain is largely alluvial flatland drained by distributaries of the Ganga, including the Ichhamati, Jamuna and Bidyadhari rivers. The eastern fringes contain wetlands that adjoin the Sundarbans ecosystem.
Administration
The district is part of the Presidency division. For administrative purposes it is divided into subdivisions which include Barasat Sadar, Barrackpore, Basirhat, Bidhannagar and Bongaon. It contains numerous community development blocks, several municipal corporations and municipalities, and a large number of gram panchayats. Major urban centres include Barasat, Barrackpore, Bidhannagar (Salt Lake), Bongaon, Basirhat, Kamarhati, Panihati, Madhyamgram, Naihati, Titagarh, Halisahar and New Town.
History
The name "24 Parganas" derives from the twenty-four parganas (revenue units) ceded to the British East India Company in 1757 by Mir Jafar after the Battle of Plassey. The undivided 24 Parganas district existed through the colonial and post-independence period until it was split into North and South 24 Parganas in 1986 to ease administration of one of India's largest districts.
The region was deeply affected by the Partition of Bengal in 1947, which placed it adjacent to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and triggered substantial refugee resettlement. Townships such as Bidhannagar (Salt Lake) were planned in subsequent decades to accommodate population growth around Kolkata.
Economy
The economy combines agriculture in the rural east and north with heavy industry, services and trade in the urbanised west and south. The Barrackpore industrial belt along the Hooghly historically housed jute mills, engineering units and ordnance establishments. Salt Lake and New Town host major information technology parks and government offices. Petrapole, on the border with Bangladesh in Bongaon subdivision, is one of the largest land ports in South Asia for India–Bangladesh trade.
Demographics and culture
North 24 Parganas is one of the most densely populated districts of India, with Bengali as the principal language. The population is religiously and culturally diverse, with significant Hindu and Muslim communities, alongside smaller Christian and other groups. Festivals such as Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Eid and Christmas are widely observed. The district is associated with several literary and cultural figures of Bengal, and Naihati is the birthplace of the novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Transport
The district is served by the Sealdah–Bangaon, Sealdah–Hasnabad and Sealdah Main lines of Eastern Railway, and by the Kolkata suburban railway network. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at Dum Dum lies within the district. National Highway 12 (old NH 35) connects Kolkata to Petrapole on the Bangladesh border. Sections of the Kolkata Metro extend into the district.
Education and institutions
Notable institutions located in the district include the West Bengal State University at Barasat, the Indian Statistical Institute headquarters in Baranagar, and several engineering and medical colleges. The cantonment town of Barrackpore hosts the historic Barrackpore Cantonment, one of the oldest in India.
Related topics
- South 24 Parganas district
- Districts of West Bengal
- Presidency division
- Kolkata Metropolitan Area
- Sundarbans
- Petrapole
References
- Wikidata: Q338425
- Government of West Bengal, district portal for North 24 Parganas
- Census of India, district handbooks