Kolkata/East

East Kolkata consists of the new growth areas on the eastern side of Kolkata. It includes the two IT hubs of Kolkata, shopping emporiums and amusement parks. Luxury hotels, convention centres, speciality hospitals, condominium complexes, malls and multiplexes have come up at a rapid pace. These expansions are spearheaded by the formation of New Town and the extension of Sector V. Science City is a major attraction. Salt Lake Stadium is a major occasional crowd puller. Large number of hospitals attract patients from the metropolis and beyond.

Bidhannagar


Bidhannagar (Bengali: বিধাননগ BIH-dhahn-naw-gohr), also called Salt Lake, was developed between 1958 and 1965 to accommodate the burgeoning population of Kolkata. Over the years, the township has become an IT hub of Greater Kolkata and companies like Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro have their offices in Bidhannagar. There are also several government office buildings lining the Central Park, which is part of an effort to decongest Kolkata.

Bidhannagar is divided into five sectors, which are labelled with Roman numerals. Each sectors are further divided into blocks. Since 2015, the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) also covers the Rajarhat locality, which should not be confused with New Town. Rajarhat itself is an amalgamation of multiple neighbourhoods, including Baguiati, Kaikhali, Kestopur (also Krishnapur) and Teghoria.

New Town
New Town, also called Rajarhat New Town, was developed in the late 1990s and is rapidly growing under the leadership of the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO). New Town was declared a "Solar City" by the Indian government and later a "Smart Green City". Several IT majors operate in the township, including TCS, Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL) and Unitech.

New Town is divided into three action areas, each labelled with Roman numerals. Each action areas are further divided into blocks. Some of the major roads in the township include Major Arterial Road (MAR) and New Town Road.

Tangra
Tangra is one of the two Chinatowns in India, the other being Tiretta Bazar. The locality was once home to 20,000 ethnic Chinese, now the population has dropped to 2,000 or so. The traditional occupation of the Chinese community here had been working in the nearby tanning industry and Chinese restaurants. The area is still noted for the Chinese restaurants where many people flock to taste traditional Chinese and Indian Chinese food. Historically there were many opium dens in this area, which is illegal nowadays.

Get in
The district is extensive and still developing. Cycle rickshaws are available for short trips wherever there is a regular demand for them. Point-to-point auto-rickshaw services are there but are not as extensive or frequent as in some other parts of the metropolis.

By bus
There are various bus stops in East Kolkata, with the major being (Karunamoyee, Sector-III, Salt Lake) and  (AH Block, Action Area I, New Town). International bus services, including bus services to Dhaka, also operate from Karunamoyee.

By metro

 * , and  — serve Beleghata, Phoolbagan and Sector III
 * and — serve Sector I and Sector III
 * and — serve Sector II and Sector V
 * , and  — serve Garia

By train
East Kolkata can be reached by local trains, with stops at Bidhannagar Road, Sir Gurudas Banerjee Halt, Park Circus, Ballygunge, Dhakuria, Jadavpur, Baghajatin and New Garia.

By tram
Route number 18 of the Kolkata Tram runs over Maniktala Main Road and CIT Road, with stops at Bagmari Bazar, North Road, Marwari Bagan, Kankurgachi, Bagmari Kabristan, Maniktala ESI Hospital, Housing Estate and Bidhannagar.

Eco Park


A 480-acre landscaped park surrounding a 104-acre water body. There are eight gates to access the park. Parking facilities available at Gate 1 and Gate 4. Activities include paddleboats, rowboats, duo cycles, birdwatching, etc. You can also ride in trackless "toy trains" to enjoy the park. The attractions within the park include:

Eat and drink
Major restaurant chains include Haldiram's (P420, VIP Road, Kaikhali).

Connect
There's of Wi-Fi zone along MAR, from Kolkata Airport to Sector V.