Vishal Meena Phagi: added a stub with sources - done

2025-11-11T17:41:11Z

added a stub with sources - done

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Petrapole
| other_name =
| nickname =
| settlement_type = Border Checkpoint
| image_skyline = File:Jessore Road - Petrapole - North 24 Parganas 2015-05-29 1329.JPG
| image_alt =
| image_caption = [[Jessore Road]], Petrapole
| pushpin_map = India West Bengal#India3
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in West Bengal, India
| coordinates = {{coord|23.0|N|88.83|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 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[North 24 Parganas district|North 24 Parganas]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type =
| governing_body =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 6
| population_total =
| population_as_of = 2001
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes =
| 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_code =
| registration_plate = WB
| website = {{URL|north24parganas.nic.in/}}
| footnotes =
}}
'''Petrapole''' is the [[India]]n side of Petrapole-[[Benapole]] [[border checkpoint]] between India and [[Benapole]] of [[Bangladesh]], on the [[Bangladesh-India border]], near [[Bongaon]] in [[North 24 Parganas district]] of [[West Bengal]]. Petrapole border is the only land [[port]] in [[south Bengal]]. It is also the largest land [[customs]] station in [[Asia]].<ref name="pet1">{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Chief-secretary-visits-Petrapole-border/articleshow/6926627.cms | title=Chief secretary visits Petrapole border | newspaper=The Times of India | date=15 November 2010 | access-date=8 February 2019 }}</ref>

==Geography==
{{OSM Location map
| width=400| height=600| zoom=11
| coord={{coord|23|4|0|N|88|47|30|E}}| float=left|caption='''Cities, towns and locations in Bangaon subdivision, North 24 Parganas district'''<br/> M: municipal town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, T: place of tourist interest<br/>Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly
|mark-coord1={{coord|22|58|41|N|88|46|53|E}} | label-pos1=right|label1= Chandpara | numbered1=CT| mark-title1=[[Chandpara]] (CT)|label-color1=#800000 |label-size1=11| mark-size1=12|shape1=l-circle|shape-color1= #A40000|shape-outline1=white|label-offset-x1=2
|mark-coord2={{coord|22|58|15|N|88|47|47|E}} | label-pos2=right|label2= Chhekati| numbered2=CT| mark-title2=[[Chhekati]] (CT)
|mark-coord3={{coord|22|54|54|N|88|46|20|E}} | label-pos3=left|label3= Bara| numbered3=CT| mark-title3=[[Bara, North 24 Parganas]] (CT)
|mark-coord4={{coord|22|56|10|N|88|46|16|E}} | label-pos4=top|label4= Chikanpara| numbered4=CT| mark-title4=[[Chikanpara]] (CT)
|mark-coord5={{coord|22|57|36|N|88|47|24|E}} | label-pos5=left|label5= Dhakuria| numbered5=CT| mark-title5=[[Dhakuria, North 24 Parganas]] (CT)
|mark-coord6={{coord|22|56|10|N|88|47|10|E}} | label-pos6=right|label6= Shimulpur| numbered6=CT| mark-title6=[[Shimulpur]] (CT)
|mark-coord7={{coord|22|58|10|N|88|47|3|E}} | label-pos7=left|label7= Sonatikiri| numbered7=CT| mark-title7=[[Sonatikiri]] (CT)
|mark-coord8={{coord|23|3|18|N|88|49|40|E}} | label-pos8=right|label8= Bangaon| numbered8=M| mark-title8=[[Bangaon]] (M) | shape-color8= #800000
|mark-coord9={{coord|22|55|28|N|88|46|40|E}} | label-pos9=left|label9= Thakurnagar| numbered9=R| mark-title9= [[Thakurnagar]] (R) |shape-color9=#C40000
|mark-coord10={{coord|23|13|4|N|88|53|8|E}} | label-pos10=left|label10= Bagdah| numbered10=R| mark-title10= [[Bagdah, North 24 Parganas]] (R) |shape-color10=#C40000
|mark-coord11={{coord|22|56|20|N|88|43|50|E}} | label-pos11=left|label11= Gaighata| numbered11=R| mark-title11= [[Gaighata, North 24 Parganas]] (R) |shape-color11=#C40000
|mark-coord12={{coord|23|3|53|N|88|45|38|E}} | label-pos12=top|label12= Gopalnagar| numbered12=R| mark-title12= [[Gopalnagar, North 24 Parganas]] (R) |shape-color12=#C40000
|mark-coord13={{coord|23|11|19|N|88|51|36|E}} | label-pos13=left|label13= Helencha| numbered13=R| mark-title13= [[Helencha]] (R) |shape-color13=#C40000
|mark-coord14={{coord|22|59|11|N|88|42|6|E}} | label-pos14=left|label14= Nahata| numbered14=R| mark-title14= [[Nahata]] (R) |shape-color14=#C40000
|mark-coord15={{coord|23|2|16|N|88|44|48|E}} | label-pos15=left|label15= Palla| numbered15=R| mark-title15= [[Palla, North 24 Parganas]] (R) |shape-color15=#C40000
|mark-coord16={{coord|23|2|0|N|88|52|36|E}} | label-pos16=left|label16= Petrapole check post| numbered16=R| mark-title16= Petrapole (R) |shape-color16=black| label-size16=13|label-color16=black 
|mark-coord17={{coord|23|11|10|N|88|45|43|E}} | label-pos17=bottom| label17=Bibhutibhusan|labela17=Wildlife Sanctuary| numbered17=T|shape-color17= #74C365| mark-title17= [[Bibhutibhushan Wildlife Sanctuary]] (T)
|mark-coord18={{coord|23|4|50|N|88|47|35|E}} | label18= Ichhamati River| label-color18 = #77A1CB| label-angle18= 16| label-pos18=right| label-size18=10| mark-size18=0| mark-title18 =none
|mark-coord19={{coord|23|11|0|N|88|52|40|E}} | label19= Betna River| label-color19 = #77A1CB| label-angle19= 100| label-pos19=right| label-size19=10| mark-size19=0| mark-title19 =none
|arc-coordA={{coord|23|1|0|N|88|53|0|E}}|arc-textA= BANGLADESH| arc-text-colorA=hard grey| arc-angleA=40| arc-gapA=4.5| arc-radiusA=0.35}}

===Location===
Petrapole is in the district of North 24 Parganas and is about 95 km from [[Kolkata]] on the [[National Highway 112 (India)|National Highway 112]] (formerly NH 35). The nearest town and passenger rail station is [[Bongaon]].<ref name="pet1"/>

===Area overview===
The area shown in the map was a part of Jessore district from 1883.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.39429/2015.39429.Jessore-District-Gazetteers_djvu.txt | title = Bengal District Gazetteers, Jessore by L.S.S. O’Malley | work= Chapter II: History, Page/ Section 44 | publisher = Bengal Secretariat Book Depot, 1912 |access-date = 11 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://nadia.gov.in/District%20Gazetteer/Ch11%20-%20General%20administration.PDF | title = District Gazetteer | work= Chapter IX: General Administration, Page 150| publisher = Egiye Bangla |access-date = 11 May 2018}}</ref> At the time of [[Partition of Bengal (1947)]] the [[Radcliffe Line]] placed the police station areas of Bangaon and Gaighata of Jessore district in India and the area was made a part of 24 Parganas district.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://tour.khujbo.com/jessore-district-information/ | title = Jessore District Information | publisher = Khujbo.com |access-date = 11 May 2018}}</ref> The renowned novelist, [[Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay]] (of ''[[Pather Panchali]]'' fame) belonged to this area and many of his writings portray his experience in the area.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Bandyopadhyay,_Bibhutibhushan | title = Bibhutibhusan Bandopadhyay| publisher = Banglapedia |access-date = 22 June 2021}}</ref> It is a flat plain located in the lower [[Ganges Delta]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/19/1911_PART_A_DCHB_NORTH%20TWENTY%20FOUR%20PARGANAS.pdf |title = District Census Handbook North Twenty Four Parganas, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A |work = Page 13 | publisher= Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal| access-date = 16 April 2018}}</ref> In the densely populated area, 16.33% of the population lives in the urban areas and 83.67% lives in the rural areas.<ref name=handbook2013>{{cite web |url = http://wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |title = District Statistical Handbook |work = North 24 Parganas 2013, Tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.4b |publisher = Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal |access-date = 2 May 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190121045803/http://www.wbpspm.gov.in/publications/District%20Statistical%20Handbook |archive-date = 2019-01-21 |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/dchb/DCHB_A/19/1911_PART_A_DCHB_NORTH%20TWENTY%20FOUR%20PARGANAS.pdf |title = District Census Handbook North Twenty Four Parganas, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A |work = Map of North Twenty Four Parganas with CD Block HQs and Police Stations (on the fifth page) | publisher= Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal| access-date = 2 May 2018}}</ref>

<small>Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the subdivision. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.</small>

==Significance==
This check post accounts for more than half of the $4-billion (nearly double the trade volume with [[Pakistan]]) trade with [[Bangladesh]]. This is the largest land port of [[Asia]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/customs-wants-better-rail-link-thru-petrapole/article20598257.ece1 | title=Customs wants better rail link thru Petrapole | newspaper=The Hindu Business Line | first1=Pratim Ranjan | last1=Bose | first2=Abhishek | last2=Law | date=12 March 2018 | access-date=8 February 2018 }}</ref> The landport alone accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh.<ref>[http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/integrated-check-post-planned-at-petrapole-to-boost-trade-with-dhaka/article2214092.ece Integrated check post planned at Petrapole to boost trade with Dhaka]. ''thehindubusinessline.com''. Retrieved 6 May 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/06/18/stories/2006061802970300.htm Petrapole infrastructure to be beefed up]. ''thehindubusinessline.com''. Retrieved 6 May 2013.</ref>

==Communication==
The Petrapole-Benapole rail link was opened in 2001 after being closed for 24 years.<ref>[http://www.hindu.com/businessline/2001/01/22/stories/142271b6.htm Petrapole-Benapole rail link re-opens after 24 years] ''hindu.com''. Retrieved 6 May 2013</ref>
There is a proposal to construct a by-pass road to ease congestion on the present road, connecting Benapole to [[National Highway 112|NH 112]] (earlier NH 35), bypassing Bangaon.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130203145649/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051204/asp/bengal/story_5557173.asp Bypass to ease border traffic] ''telegraphindia.com''. Retrieved 6 May 2013</ref>
On 9 November 2017, Nearly 10 years after Kolkata-Dhaka passenger train was flagged off after a gap of 43 years, a new train – [[Bandhan Express]] – was inaugurated between Kolkata and Khulna in Bangladesh (via Petrapole and Benapole), covering a distance of about 172 km. This is a weekly train and runs on Thursdays from both sides.
{{Clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px">
File:BSF at Petrapole.JPG|BSF at Petrapole
File:Crossing Border to India.JPG|Crossing Border at Petrapole
File:Enroute to Petrapole.JPG|En route to Petrapole
File:Petrapole Railway Station.JPG|Petrapole railway station
File:Petrapole railway station platform.jpg|Petrapole railway station
File:Auto to Petropole.JPG|Auto to Petropole
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Benapole Border Crossing]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://wikimapia.org/1443271/ Satellite map]

{{North 24 Parganas District}}
{{Railway lines in Eastern India}}
{{India-Bangladesh land border checkpoints}}

[[Category:Petrapole| ]]
[[Category:North 24 Parganas district]]
[[Category:Bangladesh–India border crossings]]

Petrapole - Revision history

Vishal Meena Phagi: added a stub with sources - done