Metiabruz
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Metiabruz is a neighbourhood on the southern fringe of Kolkata , the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.
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[edit] History
Matiaburj has a rich history. The Nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah, took refuge here when he was ousted by the British from his throne, and attempted to build a replica of his palace in Metiabrux. The Imambara he created stands at the centre of Metiabruz, and it is sometimes called the 'Second Lucknow'.
[edit] Geography
The area is connected with Kolkata by road, through the Circular Garden Reach Rd, a 40 min drive. This road ends at the Matiaburj Police Station, and from here it divides into the Akra Road and the Dr. Abdul Kabir Rd, the main arterial roads of the place. The well-known Botanical Gardens of Shibpur are located just across the Hooghly river. Another local district, Howrah, is well connected with Matiaburj through a frequent ferry and boat service.
[edit] Industry
Although relatively unknown to those living in Kolkata, Matiaburj is a key industrial location, with a power station and a water pumping station that supply water to major parts of the city. It also has a shipyard, the GRSE that is engaged in making warships, and is home to one of the largest textile manufacturers in India.[citation needed]Another key area of employment in the city are brick-kilns, which generally employ daily wage workers. Child labour is also a concern. Matiaburj is also famous for being the largest KITE manufacturer in the world.
[edit] Population and Linguistics
The population of Matiaburj consists mainly of Muslims (approximately 90%). The main spoken languages include Bengali, Urdu and Hindi, spoken widely by the large migrant population. It is home to a large number of unskilled labourers that settled here from rural areas in West Bengal and Bihar, who are employed on a daily wage; this includes construction workers, cleaners, plumbers, and painters.
Education in Matiaburj does not feature highly on the local government agenda which is the reason Metiabruz still lacks a college.
