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Where the rivers flow
Durgapur is part of a dream, a vision. The vision was one shared
by Jawaharlal Nehru and then West Bengal chief minister Dr.
Bidhan Chandra Roy. They dreamed of an industrial, prosperous
state and Dr. Roy did his best to create it by setting up a
number of satellite towns that would grow with industry. Durgapur,
along with Haldia, Chittaranjan, Kharagpur, etc is a part of
his creation.
Built in the late fifties along the banks
of the river Damodar, Durgapur lies on the Delhi-Kolkata rail
link, the Grand Trunk Road and is less than 200km from Kolkata.
More relevant is the fact that it lies close to one of India's
largest coalfields in the Ranigunj-Dhanbad belt. Durgapur
is surrounded by flowing water on both its north and south
sides. The Ajay river flows to the north and to the south
lies the Damodar.
Durgapur and the Damodar are so closely
linked that it is difficult to write about one without mentioning
the other. The main tourist attraction of the city is the
Durgapur Barrage over the Damodar river, with its gardens
and picnic spots.
What also makes Durgapur attractive is its
proximity to Asansol, Chittaranjan, Shantiniketan (the town
founded by Rabindranath Tagore) and Vishnupur (an ancient
temple city known for its terracotta sculpture).
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