Durgapur

Durgapur (Bengali: দুর্গাপুর Durgāpur) is an industrial city in the Paschim Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. Being an industrial hub, there is little here of interest to tourists.

Understand
The "Ruhr of India" was a brainchild of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the second Chief Minister of the West Bengal. The well laid-out industrial township was designed by Joseph Allen Stein and Benjamin Polk. It is home to the largest industrial unit in the state, Durgapur Steel Plant. There are a number of power plants, chemical and engineering industries.

Aside from Durgapur's interest as a place of impressive industrial plants and good urban design, the City Centre has shopping malls and arcades, a cineplex, and a host of good, cheap eateries. If you want the ambience of a good restaurant, you can visit one of the many such as Peerless Inn, Pathik, Luxor, City Residency. Some people prefer the roadside smaller ones that allow for interesting people-watching.

Climate
Due to the heavy rainfall it has received in the late 2010s and early 2020s, for almost five months of heavy rainfall every year from mid-May to mid-October, locals often refer to the city as "Chhoto Cherrapunji" (ছোট চেরাপুঞ্জি).

By bus
Buses go regularly between Kolkata and Durgapur. Ordinary buses, as well as AC Volvo coaches and Mercedes-Benz buses run by the South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC), West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) and private operators, depart from Esplanade and Karunamoyee in Kolkata to reach Durgapur's City Centre. Besides, buses from Bardhaman, Bankura, Asansol, different places in North Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, etc. also go to Durgapur.

By car
Durgapur is about from Kolkata. It is on the historic Grand Trunk Road that coincides with the Durgapur Expressway (NH 19) from Bardhaman.

By bus
There are buses run by the South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC), but their services are infrequent. Minibuses are generally too crowded and often go around circuitous routes. Nearly all minibuses and SBSTC buses travel between the railway station and Prantika in Benachity through different routes.

By taxi
Just like the taxis in Kolkata, the Ambassador taxis in Durgapur are also painted yellow and blue. They are readily available at the railway station and certain other fixed points. These do not operate on meters but on arbitrary fixed rates. Therefore, bargain properly before you move out. There are a few companies operating e-cab or bike taxi services like Ola, Rapido & BroomBoom.

By auto-rickshaw
Auto rickshaws, like the taxis, charge arbitrary rates and operate from the railway station and certain fixed points. Those on business travel generally hire out a car for the day. Rickshaws are available for shorter trips.

Buy
Durgapur is an industrial city and you get things such as steel and carbon black. However, for general purchases Benachity is normally the place. You get the Bankura horse (terracotta and wood) and the Bishnupur Baluchari. Nowadays you can get a lot of things here.



Eat and drink
Most of the hotels have restaurants and some of the large hotels have bars as well. Apart from that there are good places for eating in Benachity. Banskopa Inn on GT Road, between Muchipara and Rajbandh, is a good place out of city. However, most of the restaurants serve the same food with only quality being the difference. Also try out the roadside dhabas on GT Road near to NIT for some great rotis and tadkas at unbelievable rates.

Ajay River
Go deeper till you can see the Ajay River. Here is another amazing piece of architecture: a Shiva temple made of burnt clay bricks exactly in the shape of the famous "Linagaraja temple" of Bhubaneswar. Sadly it is in a state of complete disrepair.

Go next

 * Baranti - holiday resorts
 * Biharinath - holiday resorts
 * Santiniketan - 60 km
 * Bishnupur - 70 km