Cities and towns in the western part of Alipore Sadar subdivision (including Budge Budge I & II, Thakurpukur Maheshtala CD blocks) in South 24 Parganas district M: municipal city/ town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly Bakrahat is in Bishnupur II CD block, but Lakshmibala Rural Hospital at Bakrahat serves Budge Budge II CD block and so it is included here.
Area overview
Alipore Sadar subdivision is the most urbanized part of the South 24 Parganas district. 59.85% of the population lives in the urban areas and 40.15% lives in the rural areas. In the northern portion of the subdivision (shown in the map alongside) there are 21 census towns. The entire district is situated in the Ganges Delta and the subdivision, on the east bank of the Hooghly River, is an alluvial stretch, with industrial development.[4][5][6]
Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.
Rameswarpur, Chata Kalikapur, Ganye Gangadharpur and Asuti form a cluster of census towns on the southern side of Maheshtala, as per the map of the Thakurpukur Maheshtala CD block on the page number 153 in the District Census Handbook 2011 for the South 24 Parganas district.[7]
According to the 2011 Census of India, Maheshtala had a total population of 448,317, of which 229,693 were males and 218,624 were females. There were 46,247 people in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people was 329,813, which constituted 73.6% of the population with male literacy of 76.7% and female literacy of 70.3%. The effective literacy (7+) of population over 6 years of age was 82.0%, of which male literacy rate was 85.4% and female literacy rate was 78.5%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 54,645 and 1,934 respectively. Maheshtala had a total of 101,453 households as of 2011.[10]
According to the 2001 Census of India, Maheshtala had a total population of 385,266. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. It has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 74%, and female literacy is 63%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.[11]
Maheshtala Municipality is one of the 108 municipal bodies in West Bengal located in South 24 Parganas and covers an area of 44.18 km2 (17.06 sq mi).[13] It has jurisdiction over parts of the Maheshtala. The municipality was established in 1993; 31 years ago (1993). It is divided into 35 wards.[14][15]
According to the 2022 municipal election results, it is being controlled by the All India Trinamool Congress. Out of 35 wards of the Maheshtala Municipality, TMC won 34 wards whereas INC won 1 ward.[16]
Police stations
Maheshtala and Rabindranagar police stations are located in the Maheshtala municipal area. Maheshtala police station covers an area of 53.137 km2 (20.516 sq mi) and Rabindranagar police station covers an area of 6 km2 (2.3 sq mi). Both the police stations have jurisdiction over parts of the Maheshtala Municipality, and the Thakurpukur Maheshtala CD block.[17][18][19]
Economy
High-rises in MaheshtalaHiland Green apartment in Batanagar
In 2007, a London-based company allied with BengaliNRI to develop a mini township with the Maheshtala Municipality, for which 21.22 acres (85,900 m2) had been acquired near Nungi station. There was expected to be 2,240 middle income group flats in 44 buildings and improve the road infrastructure in the area.[20]
Apart from the Calcutta Riverside residential township, Chief MinisterMamata Banerjee had also announced in 2014 that Maheshtala would also get a 1,000-bed hospital to be developed by Apollo Hospitals and real estate major Hiland Group, a film city, sports academy and an international school conceptualized by cricketer Sourav Ganguly.[21]
Entrance of Bata India factory at Batanagar
Batanagar located in Maheshtala is one of the places named after the multinational shoe company Bata. There is a plant of the Bata company here. The employees mostly reside in Batanagar. Not only the Bata India shoe factory, another very remarkable feature of Batanagar, is that shoe-making is a predominant cottage industry in the locality.
Maheshtala College, established in 1971, is affiliated with the University of Calcutta. It offers honours courses in Bengali, English, Sanskrit, history, geography, political science, education, philosophy, computer science, mathematics and accountancy and general courses in arts, science and commerce.[23][24]
Techno International Batanagar, established in 2012, offers diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses in Engineering and Technology and other allied fields.[25]
^"Census of India". District-wise list of stautory towns. Directorate of census operations, West Bengal. Archived from the original on 9 August 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2007.
^"Maheshtala Municipality". West Bengal Valuation Board. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
^"Maheshtala Municipality". Department of Municipal Affairs. Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
India
West Bengal
