Farrakka Barrage Township

Farrakka Barrage Township is a census town in Murshidabad district in the state of West Bengal, India.

Geography

Town Farakka is located at ^[1]. It has an average elevation of 12 metres (39 feet).This town is adjacent to State of West Bengal. The big Villages surrounding Farakka are Beniagram, Nishindra, Tildanga, Dohitpur, Andua, Kendua,Chandipur,Ghoraipara, Bewa. The village Bewa is at the border of Jharkhand (erstwhile Bihar). The Jangipur Sub-Division is 48 km from here. The weather remains pleasant throughout the year. The migratory birds visit the Farakka Barrage annually. The only way to Nishindra village from Farakka Barrage is by way of ferry. The village Nishindra falls under Farakka Barrage Township. Nishindra Village has very high rate of literacy. There is one big Higher Secondary School in Nishindra Village . Around 2000 students study there. There is one Degree College in new Farakka named as Narul Hasan College. The Kedar Nath bridge connecting New Farakka Railway Station to Kolkata and Barharwa Railway Station is named after Late Kedar Nath Mishra who belonged to Nishindra Village. The major crops are Mango, Litchie, paddy, Jute, Rabissa etc. The Farakka is surrounded by big orcahrds. The National Highway (NH-34) connecting Kolkata to Siliguri passes through Farakka Town. Large number of tourists (mostly foreigners) annually do biking/cycling on this route. The Farakka has some good medium range hotels and cybercafe. But now the broad ganges is drying up. Lands have come up in middle of the river .The ganges has become polluted . Farakka has also got its importance due to NTPC Power plant[National Thermal Power Station], a huge power plant generating 200MW power per day. Having great facilities for people in accommodation , hospitality and water facilities NTPC is putting its place at the top

Demographics

As of 2001^[update] India census^[2], Farrakka Barrage Township had a population of 21,794. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Farrakka Barrage Township has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 73%, and female literacy is 63%. In Farrakka Barrage Township, 13% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Economy

NTPC Limited [formerly National Thermal Power Corporation] has super thermal power station of 1,600 MW capacity at Farakka. The work for additional 500 MW is underway. The NTPC-Farakka has 85 KM long Merry Go Round Railway transporting coal from Rajmahal mines.^[3]

Transport

NH 80 terminates at Farakka and NH 34 passes through here. The transport is also facilitated by routine Bus service from Township TTS to PTS (falling under NTPC)and vice-versa at stipulated timings everyday.

References