New Town, Kolkata

2026-05-01T18:59:53Z

97.116.52.81:

{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Short description|Smart City and satellite city of Kolkata, India}}
{{For|the area under Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation|Rajarhat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = New Town
| other_name = Rajarhat-New Town
| native_name =
| settlement_type = [[Satellite city|Satellite City]]
| image_skyline = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| total_width = 275
| image_style =
| perrow = 1/2/2/1/2
| image1= New Town Skyline captured from Bengal Intelligent Park, Saltlake, Kolkata (1 of 2 photos).jpg
|caption1= New Town skyline
| image2 = Eastern High - Rajarhat 2012-04-11 9385.JPG
| caption2= Apartment high-rises in New Town
| image3= City Centre - Rajarhat 7483.JPG
| caption3=Rajarhat City Centre 2
| image4 = DLF IT Park - Rajarhat 2012-04-11 9380.JPG
| caption4=DLF IT Park
| image5 = Mother's Wax Museum, New Town.jpg
|caption5=[[Mother's Wax Museum]]
| image6= Biswa Bangla Gate in Kolkata 01.jpg
|caption6= [[Biswa Bangla Gate]]
| image7= ITC_Green_Center_03.jpg
|caption7= [[ITC Limited|ITC Green Center]]
| image8= RITES,_Newtown,_Kolkata.jpg
|caption8= [[Rail India Technical and Economic Service|RITES]]
}}
| image_alt =
| pushpin_map = India West Bengal#India
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in West Bengal##Location in India
| coordinates = {{coord|22.5894|N|88.4748|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[West Bengal]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Administrative divisions of West Bengal|Division]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Presidency division|Presidency]]
| subdivision_type3 = [[List of districts of West Bengal|District]]
| subdivision_name3 = [[North 24 Parganas]]
| established_title = 
| established_date = November 2008
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Statutory Development Board
| governing_body = New Town Kolkata Development Authority,
[[West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation]] (HIDCO)
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes = <ref name="NKDA">{{Cite web|url=https://www.icra.in/Rationale/GetRationaleFile/27752|title=NKDA Overview|access-date=15 August 2019|archive-date=15 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815060757/https://www.icra.in/Rationale/GetRationaleFile/27752|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wbhidcoltd.com/upload_file/report_publication/report11.pdf|date=27 January 2014|title=Landuse and Development Control Plan for New Town Planning Area 2012|author=West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO)|access-date=4 February 2023|archive-date=29 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129031509/https://www.wbhidcoltd.com/upload_file/report_publication/report11.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 93.3
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 9
| population_total = 400000-500000
| population_as_of = July 2018
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = 1218
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes = <ref name="NKDA" /><ref>{{cite web|title=New Town to become Municipality|date=30 July 2018|url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/soon-new-town-to-become-municipality-312026|access-date=15 August 2019|archive-date=17 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917221357/http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/soon-new-town-to-become-municipality-312026|url-status=live}}</ref>
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[English language|English]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 700135, 700136, 700156, 700157, 700160, 700161
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = +91 33
| registration_plate = WB07, WB08, WB25, WB26
|blank1_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha]] constituency
|blank1_info_sec1 = [[Barasat (Lok Sabha constituency)|Barasat]]
| blank4_name_sec1 = [[Vidhan Sabha]] constituency
| blank4_info_sec1 = [[Rajarhat New Town (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Rajarhat-New Town]]
| website = {{ubl|{{URL|http://www.nkdamar.org}}|
{{URL|http://www.wbhidcoltd.com}}}}
| footnotes =
}}

'''New Town''' ({{aka}} '''Rajarhat-New Town''') is a [[planned city|planned]] [[Satellite city]] of [[Kolkata]] in the [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[West Bengal]]. It is administered by NKDA (New Town Kolkata Development Authority).<ref>{{cite web |title=The New Town, Kolkata Development Authority Act, 2007 |url=http://www.nkdamar.org/Statutes/The%20NKDA%20Act%202007.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211031733/https://www.nkdamar.org/Statutes/The%20NKDA%20Act%202007.pdf |archive-date=11 February 2022 |access-date=21 March 2017 |publisher=NTKDA}}</ref> New Town is declared as a "Solar City" and "[[Smart City|Smart Green City]]" by [[Government of India]].<ref name="neliti"/>

[[HIDCO]] plans developing infrastructure like - roads, drains, sewerage line, water supply lines, major embellishment works and executed constructions like - buildings, projects, parks, museum, subways, over-bridges in New Town.<ref name="Times of India">{{cite news |title=New Town to get three subways, an overbridge |first1=Suman |last1=Chakraborti |date=13 February 2014 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/New-Town-to-get-three-subways-an-overbridge/articleshow/30301719.cms |access-date=13 May 2015 |publisher=Times of India |archive-date=17 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317084255/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/New-Town-to-get-three-subways-an-overbridge/articleshow/30301719.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> An information technology and residential hub is developed at New Town. New Town was enabled with 10.5 km of Wi-Fi Zone along the Major Arterial Road (part of [[Biswa Bangla Sarani]]) from Haldiram, near [[Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport|Kolkata Airport]] to Salt Lake Sector V, which also make it India's first Wi-Fi road connectivity. The stretch has already been declared as a green corridor.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/10-5km-Wi-Fi-zone-in-Rajarhat-New-Town/articleshow/36728018.cms |first1=Suman |last1=Chakraborti |title=Wi-Fi connectivity: 10.5km Wi-Fi zone in Rajarhat-New Town {{pipe}} Kolkata News |website=[[The Times of India]] |date=18 June 2014 |access-date=15 March 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120214040/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/10-5km-Wi-Fi-zone-in-Rajarhat-New-Town/articleshow/36728018.cms |archive-date=20 January 2016}}</ref>

==History==
The area mainly consisted of huge acres of cultivable lands and water bodies, which was acquired and developed in a planned manner. The process of investing in residential and industrial facilities and infrastructural development of the area was mainly started under the leadership of the then [[Chief Minister of West Bengal]], [[Jyoti Basu]] in the late 1990s.<ref name="wbhidcoltd">{{cite web|url=https://www.wbhidcoltd.com/about-new-town|title= New Town Kolkata|website=HIDCO Bhawan |access-date=4 February 2023|archive-date=29 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129040254/https://www.wbhidcoltd.com/about-new-town|url-status=live}}</ref> The master plan envisions a township which is at least three times bigger than the neighbouring planned [[Salt Lake City, Kolkata|Salt Lake City]].

New Town was declared as a ''Solar City'' by the former [[United Progressive Alliance|UPA]]-lead [[Government of India]]<ref name="neliti">{{cite journal|url=https://www.neliti.com/publications/263292/rajarhat-new-town-an-urban-perspective-a-case-study-of-urbanization-west-bengal|title=Rajarhat New Town an Urban Perspective: A Case Study of Urbanization, West Bengal, India|journal=International Journal of New Technology and Research|date=May 2017 |volume=3 |issue=5 |page=263292 |access-date=4 February 2023|archive-date=29 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129040255/https://www.neliti.com/publications/263292/rajarhat-new-town-an-urban-perspective-a-case-study-of-urbanization-west-bengal|url-status=live |last1=Biswas |first1=Amar |last2=Singh |first2=Omveer }}</ref> and later this city was declared as [[Smart Cities Mission|''Smart Green City'']] by [[National Democratic Alliance|NDA]]-lead Government of India with the help of [[Government of West Bengal]] following a proposal submitted by [[Mamata Banerjee]] ([[Chief Minister of West Bengal]])<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/West-Bengal-seeks-smart-green-city-tag-for-New-Town/articleshow/37867094.cms |first1=Suman |last1=Chakraborti |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706102800/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/West-Bengal-seeks-smart-green-city-tag-for-New-Town/articleshow/37867094.cms |archive-date = 6 July 2014 |title = West Bengal seeks 'smart green city' tag for New Town {{pipe}} Kolkata News |website=[[The Times of India]] |date=6 July 2014 }}</ref><ref name="eletsonline">{{cite web|url=https://smartcity.eletsonline.com/rajarhat-new-town-to-become-smart-city/|website=Smart City - Elets Technomedia |title=Rajarhat New Town to become Smart City|date=11 May 2015 |access-date=4 February 2023|archive-date=29 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129040257/https://smartcity.eletsonline.com/rajarhat-new-town-to-become-smart-city/|url-status=live}}</ref> but later withdrawn from the Smart Cities Mission after the [[Trinamool Congress#Electoral performance|AITC-governed Bengal government]] decided to withdraw all cities of West Bengal from the competition.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/west-bengal-mamata-dumps-centres-smart-city-project-to-develop-cities-on-its-own-2983994/ |first1=Aniruddha |last1=Ghosal |url-access=subscription |title=West Bengal: Mamata dumps Centre's Smart City project, to develop cities on its own |date=19 August 2016 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=27 June 2017 |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702215914/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/west-bengal-mamata-dumps-centres-smart-city-project-to-develop-cities-on-its-own-2983994/ |archive-date=2 July 2017 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> It has rejected ''{{INR}}1,000 crore'' to be given for development of the city as smart city.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/green-city-mission-rs-50-lakh-each-for-all-125-municipalities-in-west-bengal-mamata-banerjee-4438068/ |first1=Aniruddha |last1=Ghosal |title=Green City Mission: Rs 50 lakh each for all 125 municipalities in West Bengal |date=21 December 2016 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=30 June 2017 |language=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711160442/http://indianexpress.com/article/india/green-city-mission-rs-50-lakh-each-for-all-125-municipalities-in-west-bengal-mamata-banerjee-4438068/ |archive-date=11 July 2017 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Geography==
Most of New Town is in [[North 24 Parganas]] district. It was declared as a part of the [[Kolkata Metropolitan Area]] in August 2016 by [[List of governors of West Bengal|Governor of West Bengal]].<ref name="KMA2007">{{cite web |title=KMA notification |url=http://www.wburbandev.gov.in/circulars/noti_no_3375_ud_o_m_sb_s-4_98.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220210448/http://www.wburbandev.gov.in/circulars/noti_no_3375_ud_o_m_sb_s-4_98.pdf |archive-date=20 December 2016 |access-date=7 December 2016 |publisher=Urban Development Department, Government of West Bengal}}</ref>

==Cityscape==
[[File:Panache towers.jpg|thumb|Panache towers, Mahish bathan, Newtown]]
[[File:Red Munia, New Town, Kolkata 1.jpg|thumb|[[Red avadavat|Red Munia]] (male) at New Town marshland]]

===Planning===
New Town has a proposed area of 93.9 km2 in which 30.8 km2 is used for township and 60.354 km2 area is under planning. The township of New Town is divided into Action Area I, II, III and a Central Business District.<ref name="wbhidcoltd.com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.wbhidcoltd.com/upload_file/report_publication/report11.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 January 2023 |archive-date=29 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129031509/https://www.wbhidcoltd.com/upload_file/report_publication/report11.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The erstwhile planning area of HIDCO also included Action Area - IV (still not started). The Central Business District (CBD) is located between Action Area - I & II. HIDCO installed the geographic information system (GIS) to integrate the database on the number of house owners, property tax, mutation, building construction etc. in New Town.<ref>{{cite web|title=HIDCO Overview|url=https://www.wburbandev.gov.in/Home/attached_office_hidco|access-date=15 August 2019|archive-date=15 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815052111/https://www.wburbandev.gov.in/Home/attached_office_hidco|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Townships or residential projects===
*'''[[Uniworld City]]'''
*Shapoorji Pallonji Shukhobrishti
*Merlin RISE<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merlin Group announces the launch of A Mega Sports Township in Kolkata |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/merlin-group-announces-the-launch-of-a-mega-sports-township-in-kolkata/cid/1835636 |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=www.telegraphindia.com |language=en}}</ref>
*'''Skill City'''
:Launched by Ambuja Neotia group and HDFC group in 2023, it is a 72-acre township with an investment of ₹550 Crores. The township will have Nursing College, Hospital, Para medical College, IT/ITes space, Residential Towers, Villas and Club house with 25% reserved for economically weaker sections.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/business/hdfc-ambuja-in-72-acre-kolkata-realty-deal/cid/1802568 | title=HDFC, Ambuja in 72-acre realty deal }}</ref>

===Tech hub===
{{See also|List of tech parks in Kolkata#New Town|Bengal Silicon Valley Tech Hub}}

New Town has emerged as the second IT hub of Kolkata after [[Salt Lake City, Kolkata|Salt Lake]]. [[List of tech parks in Kolkata#New Town|Growing number of tech parks]] makes New Town a preferred destination for IT and ITes in East India. Several Information Technology majors are operational like [[Ericsson]], Accenture, Capgemini, Tech Mahindra, ITC Infotech, Mindtree, Adani Labs, [[British Telecom]], [[Tata Consultancy Services|TCS]], [[Wipro]], [[Infosys]], [[Cognizant]] [https://traditionalpackersandlogistics.com/packers-and-movers-new-town/ Traditional Packers & Logistics New Town] etc.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/kolkatas-sector-v-new-town-on-overdrive-add-20000-it-jobs-in-last-6-months/articleshow/96997664.cms | title=Kolkata's Sector V, New Town on overdrive, add 20,000 IT jobs in last 6 months | newspaper=The Times of India | date=15 January 2023 }}</ref> New Town also houses [[Bengal Silicon Valley Tech Hub]].

===Financial hub===
{{See also|FinTech Hub, Kolkata}}
[[FinTech Hub, Kolkata|Fintech hub]] is developed in New Town by [[West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation|HIDCO]] with many national and international firms like [[Punjab National Bank|PNB]], [[HDFC Bank]], [[Axis Bank]] and [[State Bank of India|SBI]] showing interest in the project with their investment in different stages of implementation.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/hidco-to-come-up-with-vertical-city-in-fintech-hub-373414 |title=HIDCO to come up with 'vertical city' in Fintech hub |date=8 September 2019 |access-date=21 November 2020 |archive-date=27 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210627175340/http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/hidco-to-come-up-with-vertical-city-in-fintech-hub-373414 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Hotels===
Many luxurious hotels like [[Fairfield by Marriott]], [[Novotel]], [[Ibis]], [[Taj Hotels]], [[Westin Hotels & Resorts]], [[The Park Hotels]], [[Holiday Inn]], [[Wyndham Hotels & Resorts]], [[Lemon Tree Hotels]], Ozen Mansion Kolkata etc. have also come up in the area.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}
[[File:Pride Plaza Hotel - Rajarhat - Kolkata 2017-03-31 1118.JPG|thumb|Pride Plaza Hotel]]

== Transport ==
===Roads===
[[File:Box Bridge - Major Arterial Road - Rajarhat 2016-07-30 5516.JPG|thumb|Box Bridge connects New Town with [[Salt Lake City, Kolkata|Salt Lake]] along [[Biswa Bangla Sarani]] over Kestopur Canal]]
[[Biswa Bangla Sarani]] connects Action Area I and II. It also connects New Town to the [[Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport]]. The New Town Road and Gitanjali Road also serves as major connectors between Action Area III and Action Area II. The main mode of road transportation includes AC or non-AC government and private buses, taxi and other popular Indian transports like [[auto rickshaw]] and e-rickshaws. As of 2015, around 300 buses on 25 different bus routes, either passes through or originates from New Town.<ref name="smartcity">{{cite web|title=Smart City Proposal|url=http://www.nkdamar.org/File/Smart%20City%201.pdf|website=NKDAMAR|publisher=Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India|access-date=31 October 2016|page=7|archive-date=13 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313123354/http://www.nkdamar.org/File/Smart%20City%201.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Rapid transit===
*'''[[Kolkata Metro Orange Line]]''': As of November 2023, the [[Garia|New Garia]]–[[Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport|Dumdum/Kolkata Airport]] Line of the [[Kolkata Metro]], which passes through New Town, is under-construction and expected to be open before 2026. The metro will be main linkage between Action Area I and II of New Town township.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rail set to take over East-West|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110208/jsp/calcutta/story_13549408.jsp|access-date=26 September 2011|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=8 February 2011|archive-date=1 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601181514/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110208/jsp/calcutta/story_13549408.jsp|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Hidco clears route for Garia-airport Metro|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Hidco-clears-route-for-Garia-airport-Metro/articleshow/10110483.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928221024/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-25/kolkata/30200059_1_hidco-official-east-west-metro-metro-route|url-status=live|archive-date=28 September 2012|access-date=26 September 2011|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=25 September 2011}}</ref>
*A Light Rail Transit System (LRTS) is planned to connect Action Area III to the Biswa Bangla Gate. The estimated cost of the project is around ₹4500 Crores.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://metrorailtoday.com/news/hidco-plans-monorail-type-light-rail-transit-system-for-new-town-and-salt-lake-in-kolkata | title=HIDCO plans Monorail type Light Rail Transit System for New Town and Salt Lake in Kolkata | Metro Rail Today }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/hi-tech-link-plan-for-new-towns-action-area-iii/articleshow/74309112.cms | title=Kolkata: Hi-tech link plan for New Town's Action Area III | newspaper=The Times of India | date=26 February 2020 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
As of April 2018, the residential population of New Town is estimated to be more than 1 million with 0.5 million additional floating population.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/e-auction-in-new-towns-action-area-ii-sees-stellar-response-292801 |title=E-Auction in New Town's Action Area II sees stellar response |website=Millennium Post |date=4 April 2018 |access-date=12 February 2019 |archive-date=15 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115162441/http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/e-auction-in-new-towns-action-area-ii-sees-stellar-response-292801 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=May 2022}}

==Civic administration==
===Authority===
The New Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) has been constituted under The New Town Kolkata Development Authority Act, 2007 (The West Bengal Act XXX of 2007) for rendering various civic services and amenities within New Town, Kolkata and it has come into effect since November, 2008. It is a transitional arrangement in the way of creation of an Urban Local Body (ULB). The administration is headed by a chairman, exercising authority over a member secretary and chief executive officer, who in turn oversee various specific committees, set up to implement various duties.<ref name="KMA2007" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nkdamar.org/Pages/Background.aspx |title=Background |website=New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) |access-date=7 May 2022 |archive-date=26 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526182502/https://www.nkdamar.org/Pages/Background.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) plans and executes development projects in New Town, Kolkata.

===Utility services===
As of 2015, New Town gets 200 litre per capita per day (lcpd) of treated water every day with potable water that is sourced from the Hooghly River.<ref name="smartcity" /> Water treatment plants with computerised monitoring and control system are in place. 100% of the garbage is collected by sanitary workers through door to door collection. As of 2015, more than 70% of the solid waste management vehicles and street sweeping vehicles have been fitted with GPS devices for effective monitoring.<ref name="smartcity" /> All the garbage is compacted at compacting stations before disposing of it in dumping grounds.

Electricity is supplied and managed by New Town Electric Supply Company Limited (NTESCL).<ref name="smartcity" /> Fire services are handled by the [[West Bengal Fire Service]], a state agency. The [[Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate]] looks after the law and order in the city.

State-owned [[Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited]] (BSNL), as well as private enterprises, among them [[Vodafone India|Vodafone]], [[Bharti Airtel]], [[Idea Cellular]] and [[Reliance Jio]], are the leading telephone and cell phone service providers in the city.<ref name="trai ar 11 wire">{{cite web|title=Annual report 2010–11|url=http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/UserFiles/Documents/AnuualReports/ar_10_11.pdf|publisher=Telecom Regulatory Authority of India|access-date=13 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120526230024/http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/UserFiles/Documents/AnuualReports/ar_10_11.pdf|archive-date=26 May 2012}}</ref>{{rp|25–26}}{{rp|179}} Kolkata being the first city in India to have cell phone and [[4G]] connectivity, the [[GSM]] and [[Code division multiple access|CDMA]] cellular coverage is extensive in New Town.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kolkata connects India to 4G era|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Kolkata-connects-India-to-4G-era/articleshow/12617655.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103073810/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-11/kolkata/31324556_1_4g-3g-telecom-equipment|url-status=live|archive-date=3 January 2013|access-date=25 June 2012|date=11 April 2012|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|location=New Delhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=City of the third revolution — First 4G service to be launched in Calcutta|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120404/jsp/frontpage/story_15333017.jsp#.T-hXdbUe7HU|access-date=25 June 2012|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=4 April 2012|location=Kolkata|archive-date=7 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507220230/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120404/jsp/frontpage/story_15333017.jsp#.T-hXdbUe7HU|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== 2023 Panchayat Poll Controversy ===
Although the NKDA had been tasked with carrying out civic functions within Newtown, the township continued to fall under the jurisdiction of the "Jyangra-Hatiara no II block" Panchayat for the purpose of polls to the rural local self-governing body. In early February 2023, the then Urban Development Minister, Firhad Hakim, had said that New Town cannot remain under a panchayat, while acknowledging that parts of the township had been included within a panchayat area as a result of "some error". He also promised that the "error" would be rectified before the [[2023 West Bengal local elections|upcoming panchayat polls.]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Shubhajoy |date=4 February 2023 |title=Firhad Hakim clarifies New Town status |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/firhad-hakim-clarifies-new-town-status/cid/1914205 |access-date=1 November 2024 |website=www.telegraphindia.com/}}</ref>

Despite prior assurances of exclusion from Panchayat jurisdiction, the Panchayat polls were being held in Newtown. This led to discontent amongst a section of residents of Newtown as they felt that they were wrongfully being "labelled" as "villagers".<ref>{{Cite web |last=PTI |date=2023-07-03 |title='Don't want to be labelled villagers': 10,000 people living on Kolkata outskirts to boycott rural polls |url=https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/dont-want-to-be-labelled-villagers-10000-people-living-on-kolkata-outskirts-to-boycott-rural-polls |access-date=2024-11-01 |website=National Herald |language=en}}</ref> The Newtown Forum demanded that the township be taken out of the jurisdiction of panchayats. The Forum, in this end, launched a campaign to boycott the polls - they put up hoardings and banners, blocked a few roads and even collected signatures of 12,000 voters in support of the cause.<ref>{{Cite news |last=PTI |date=2023-07-03 |title='Don't want to be labelled villagers': 10,000 people living on Kolkata outskirts to boycott rural polls |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kolkata/dont-want-to-be-labelled-villagers-10000-people-living-on-kolkata-outskirts-to-boycott-rural-polls/article67037447.ece |access-date=2024-11-01 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-05 |title=Residents' call to boycott vote picks up steam in New Town |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/residents-call-to-boycott-vote-picks-up-steam-in-new-town/articleshow/101500859.cms |access-date=2024-11-01 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

==Education==
===Colleges and universities===
Some of the educational and training institutes that are setting up their campuses in New Town:
*[[University of Engineering & Management, Kolkata]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uem.edu.in/uem-kolkata/ |title=UEM Kolkata: Best Engineering and Management University in Kolkata |access-date=11 December 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015030126/http://uem.edu.in/uem-kolkata/ |archive-date=15 October 2016 }}</ref>
* [[Amity University Kolkata]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amity.edu/kolkata |title=Best Top Private Amity University Kolkata in West Bengal{{pipe}}Engineering{{pipe}}Colleges{{pipe}}Universities{{pipe}}Institutes{{pipe}}Business{{pipe}}Management |access-date=18 January 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202052741/http://amity.edu/kolkata/ |archive-date=2 December 2016 }}</ref>
* [[Presidency University, Kolkata|Presidency University]] (New Town campus)
* [[St. Xavier's University, Kolkata|St. Xaviers University]]
* [[IIT Kharagpur]] Research Park
* [[Aliah University]]
* [[Institute of Cost Accountants of India]]
* [[Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management]]
* [[Institute of Chartered Accountants of India]]
* [[Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira|Ramakrishna Mission Centre of Excellence]]
* Belle Vue Nursing College
* [[Sister Nivedita University]]
* [[West Bengal Power Development Corporation]] (WBPDCL) Training Institute<ref name="Education in New Town, Rajarhat">{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Rajarhat-to-get-education-hub/articleshow/46280754.cms | newspaper=The Times of India | title=Rajarhat to get education hub | first=Suman | last=Chakraborti | date=18 February 2015 | access-date=28 June 2018 | archive-date=15 July 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715015404/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Rajarhat-to-get-education-hub/articleshow/46280754.cms | url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Techno India]]
*[[West Bengal Judicial Academy]]

===Schools===
For the children, to study up to the 12th standard, New Town also houses many schools:
*[[Narayana Group of Educational Institutions|Narayana School New Town]]
* Delhi Public School Megacity
* Delhi Public School Newtown
*[[The Newtown School]]
* IEM Public School
* Bodhicariya Senior Secondary School
* Sri Chaitanya techno school

==Sports==
{{See also|AIFF National Center of Excellence}}
[[AIFF National Center of Excellence]] is a "state of art" football complex which includes India's first ever roof top pitch. The sports complex is spread across 15 Acres and built with an investment of ₹200 crores.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/aiff-in-talks-with-corporates-for-building-national-centre-of-excellence-5502866/ | title=AIFF in talks with corporates for building National Centre of Excellence | date=20 December 2018 }}</ref>

[[Cricket Association of Bengal]] is building an international cricket stadium in New Town. In 2022, CAB bought a 14 Acres plot with ₹30 Crore.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sportzpoint.com/cricket/cab-bought-14-acre-land-in-rajarhat-for-the-new-international-stadium/ | title=CAB bought 14 Acre land in Rajarhat for the new International Stadium | date=5 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/state-to-hand-overnew-town-plot-to-sourav-for-stadium/articleshow/92013453.cms | title=State to hand overNew Town plot to Sourav for stadium | newspaper=The Times of India | date=5 June 2022 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Satellite city]]
* [[Kolkata Gate|Biswa Bangla Gate]]
* [[New Town Eco Park|Eco Park]]
* [[Durga Angan]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|New Town, Kolkata}}
* {{Wikivoyage inline|Kolkata/East}}
* [http://www.nkdamar.org New Town, Kolkata]{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} – Development Authority West Bengal

{{North 24 Parganas District}}
{{North 24 Parganas topics}}
{{Kolkata neighbourhoods}}
{{Municipalities of West Bengal}}

[[Category:New Town, Kolkata| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in North 24 Parganas district]]
[[Category:Neighbourhoods in Kolkata]]
[[Category:Kolkata Metropolitan Area]]
[[Category:Planned cities in West Bengal]]
[[Category:Planned communities in India]]
[[Category:Planned communities established in the 1990s]]

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New Town, Kolkata