Kolkata/South

South Kolkata is a posh and new area of Kolkata. It is less congested and more modern than most parts of the city. You will find more apartment blocks and green patches here.

Understand
South Kolkata consists of the southern "mushrooming" parts of the city that has been continuously developed over the years. Although the northern part of the district was developed during the British rule, the rest of South Kolkata was developed mainly after the partition of India 1947, when millions of refugees from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) squatted in the district. Although there are still slums here and there, most of these now sport a brighter look.

Orientation
This district covers the neighbourhoods south of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Road (AJC Bose Road, previously Lower Circular Road) and west of Sealdah South lines (up to Jadavpur) and Raja SC Mullick Road. The major neighbourhoods in South Kolkata include Alipore, Ballygunge, Behala, Bhowanipore, Dhakuria, Garden Reach, Gariahat, Rajpur Sonarpur, Jadavpur, Kalighat, Kidderpore, Majerhat, Park Circus and Tollygunge.

Most of South Kolkata was once part of three separate municipalities, namely Garden Reach, Jadavpur and South Suburban. They became part of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation in 1984. However, the area is still often called "suburbs" (শহরতলি shahartali) by the locals and Behala (once part of South Suburban) is still often considered a separate community with its own cultural values. Most people of Behala call themselves "Behala residents" (বেহালাবাসী bēhālābāsī) rather than "Kolkata residents" (কলকাতাবাসী kalkātābāsī).

Get in
South Kolkata can be easily reached from Central Kolkata easily by bus, taxi or metro railway. From North Kolkata, the number of buses is slightly low, but the metro and tram are always an option. There also are bus links with East Kolkata.

By bus
A large number of bus routes from other parts of Kolkata and outside Kolkata ply into this district. Air-conditioned buses have also started plying, for example from Sulekha to Rajarhat and New Town and from Tollygunge to Kolkata Airport. There are many long-distance buses from southeastern places to the Northern Suburbs which avoid the city crowds and travel via the EM Bypass.

Garia has three bus stands. Garia No. 5 handles buses coming along Raja SC Mullick Road. The second bus depot handles buses coming along NSC Bose Road. There is a bus stand in Patuli, handling 45 no. private bus. The Garia-Gol Park autos leave from opposite the No. 5 Bus Stand. Garia No. 6 handles buses coming along NSC Bose Road. Buses travelling south of Garia are handled by either the No. 5 or No. 6 depot depending on the direction they are coming from. Autos on the Garia-Tollyguge route leave from near this bus stand. There also are autos for Boral.

By metro
The North–South Line of the Kolkata Metro runs over Ashutosh Mukherjee Road, SP Mukherjee Road, Deshpran Shasmal Road, Mahanayak Uttam Kumar Road and the Adi Ganga, with stops at Rabindra Sadan, Netaji Bhavan, Jatin Das Park, Kalighat, Rabindra Sarobar, Mahanayak Uttam Kumar (Tollygunge), Netaji (Kudghat), Masterda Surya Sen (Bansdroni), Gitanjali (Naktala), Kavi Nazrul (Garia Bazar), Shahid Khudiram (Dhalai Bridge) and Kavi Subhash (New Garia).

The Purple Line, locally known as Behala Metro, runs over Diamond Harbour Road/NH 12 with stops at Taratala, Behala Bazar, Behala Chowrasta, Silpara, Thakurpukur and Joka.

By train
South Kolkata can be reached by the Circular Railway and Sealdah South lines. The Circular Railway stations are at Park Circus, Ballygunge, Lake Gardens Tollygunge, Majerhat, Remount Road and Khidderpore while other stations in South Kolkata are Dhakuria, Jadavpur, Baghajatin, Garia and New Garia. Beware of the work hour rush. Cycle rickshaws are available at all stations for local travel.

Eat and drink
Major chain restaurants include Domino's (1/432, Gariahat Rd S ad 62/7, Ballygunge Circular Rd) and Haldiram's (58, Chowringhee Rd and 24, Ballygunge Park). For places to eat in Tangra, see Kolkata/East, for the Park Street area see Kolkata/Central.