Rajarhat


Rajarhat is a locality in Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation of North 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is close to Kolkata and also a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. Lying just on the periphery of the planned New Town, Rajarhat-Gopalpur has seen huge spurt in real estate development.

Etymology

Raja Gajendra Narayan Ray who was one of the Finance Officials under Emperor Jehangir settled in Haveli Shahar. He had a vast zamindari in a large part of North 24 Parganas. One day he was going to visit his zamindari by a Bajra along the River Labanyabati. Suddenly by accident the Bajra sank & all the passengers except him drowned. After this accident he refused to return to Halishahar & decided to settle at this place. He built his residence there on the north of the River Labanyabati. Around his house a village grew up which is still known as  Rajabaati or Raajbaari. This village is situated south of the villages of Jojera & Beraberi. Later many families of his subjects started to settle around the place and a market was also started which they called Raajaar Haat. This bazaar is still there situated east of Kadihati - Bishnupur Road & old Shyambazar - Basirhat Light Railwayline, now known as Baguiati - Rajarhaat Road. Raja Gajendra Narayan Ray's descendant, Durga Prasad Roy settled in Behala and he is considered to be the founder of the illustrious Ray Family of Behala.

Demographics

As per the 2011 census, Rajarhat-Gopalpur Municipality had a total population of 402,844 persons, Males constitute 50.55% of the population and females 49%. Rajarhat-Gopalpur has an average literacy rate of 89.69%.

Administration

Rajarhat-Gopalpur Municipality had 35 wards. It consisted of many localities such as: Kestopur, Chandiberia, Rabindra Pally, Samar Pally, Baguiati, Udayan Pally, Santosh Pally, Jagatpur, Ashwini Nagar, Narayantala, Raghunathpur, Arjunpur, Teghoria, Jyangra, Helabottala, Noapara, Adarsha Pally, Pramodgarh, Jyoti Nagar, Hatiara, Kaikhali, Chinar Park, Atghara, Dasadrone, Salua, Bablatala, Narayanpur, Beraberi, Bidisha Pally, Sarada Pally, Ganti and part of NSCBI Airport. On 18 June 2015, Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation was constituted by merging the existing municipal areas of Rajarhat-Gopalpur Municipality, Bidhannagar Municipality and the panchayat area of Mahishbathan II Gram Panchayat. Now Rajarhat-Gopalpur has 26 wards under Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation.
The area is under the jurisdiction of the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate.