Suratgarh

For the tehsil, see Suratgarh tehsil.

Suratgarh
City
Nickname:  SOG
Suratgarh Location in Rajasthan, India
Coordinates: 29°19′3.72″N 73°53′56.17″E
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District	Sri Ganganagar
Founded by	Maharaja Surat Singh (Ruler of Bikaner)
Government
• Type	Municiple
Elevation	168 m (551 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	70,536
Languages Bagri, Punjabi and Hindi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	335804
Telephone code	01509
Vehicle registration	RJ 13

Suratgarh is a city and a municipality in Ganganagar district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded by Maharaja Surat Singh (1765 - 1828). Hindi, Bagri and Punjabi are the widely spoken languages of the city.

Geography

Suratgarh is located at 29.317701°N 73.898935°E / 29.317701; 73.898935. It has an average elevation of 168 metres (551) feet.

Demographics

As of the 2011 Indian Census, The Suratgarh Municipality has population of 70,536 of which 37,126 are males while 33,410 are females. Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 9037 which is 12.81% of total population of Suratgarh (M). In Suratgarh Municipality, Female Sex Ratio is of 900 against state average of 928. Moreover, Child Sex Ratio in Suratgarh is around 861 compared to Rajasthan state average of 888. Literacy rate of Suratgarh city is 75.68% higher than state average of 66.11%. In Suratgarh, Male literacy is around 83.19% while female literacy rate is 67.39%.

Media

Akashwani Suratgarh broadcasts on 918 kHz with a 300 kW radio transmitter. It has been given the name "Cotton city channel". This channel can regularly also be listened in Central Europe around 30 minutes before local sunset till end of broadcast at 17:41 UTC and is the best heard Akashvani station in Central Europe broadcasting on medium wave.

History

Suratgarh was a significant arena of historical incidences in the ancient past. The city was once called Sodal. Around 3000 BC Suratgarh is believed to have been a lush, green place due to the presence of two big rivers, Sarasvati and Drishadvati. Present sand possessed various botanical and zoological species within the basins of chaste Sarasvati and Drishvati. The emergence of Kalibangan and Barod civilizations were facilitated by the geographical and environmental complements of the Sarasvati, and Suratgarh was a noteworthy testimony of this. The traces of ancient civilization near Rangmahal, Manaksaar and Amarpura show the historical significance of Suratgarh where Sarasvati civilization has receded after 1500 years of stability.

Suratgarh developed greatly under the rule of Maharaja Ganga Singh who built a hunting lodge at Suratgarh and ensured the connectivity of Suratgarh to train service. Hanumangarh and Bikaner came under the Suratgarh District when the district was established. Establishment of the Ganges canal in 1927 helped Suratgarh develop; it became a city after partition when various refugees from Pakistan came in and started settling there. Suratgarh Central State Farm was established in 1956, followed with the establishment of the Indira Gandhi Canal project and Central Animal Reproduction Farm in the 1960s. Meanwhile, an air and military base station, Akashvani and various offices had been established. Suratgarh Thermal Power Station started working from 3 November 1998 and this laid down one more milestone in the progress of Suratgarh city.

It has a thermal power plant of 1500 MW and a PLF of 93%, which has won an award for one of the best-operated plants in India. The industry experienced acute growth with the construction of the thermal power plant and its residential buildings. Since then the industry has been growing quickly. With the reducing demands as a result of completion of the thermal power plant project, bricks from Suratgarh are now supplied to various parts of Rajasthan especially to the districts of Churu and Jhunjhunu.

Governance

Rampratap Kasniyan is sitting MLA in 2018 from Suratgarh ( Rajasthan Assembly Constituency). Citywide administration is coordinated by the Nagar Palika Suratgarh which chairmanship is reserved for Schedule Caste Category. Here is an SDM court, an ADM, ACJM, MJM and ADJ court. There is a Suratgarh Genral Government Hospital

There is an emergency security system to secure the city.

Education

• Government College, Suratgarh
• Suratgarh PG College, Suratgarh
• Tagore PG College
• Government Senior Secondary, Suratgarh
• Bhatia Ashram
• Swami Vivekanand Government Model School

Weather

Since Suratgarh lies within the fringes of the Thar Desert, the region has a hot desert climate with extremely hot summers and cool winters. The hottest months of the year are from April to October where the maximum temperatures remain above 118 °F (48 °C) and the average temperatures for the day remains above 95 °F (35 °C). On some days in the months of May, Jun and Jul the maximum temperatures regularly cross 122 °F (50 °C). Humidity remains below 50% throughout the year and during the peak of summer and winter months the humidity regularly falls below 20%. Due to its desert climate rainfall is sparse and happens during the two Monsoon seasons and the average rainfall across the year is less than 10 inches (25 cm). During the summer months dry winds blowing across the desert whip up dust storms which are common in the evening hours. Winters are generally mild with temperatures averaging around 55 °F with a few days in December and January with temperatures falling as low as 33 °F (1 °C). Yearly average UV index for the region is above 7 with the summer months approaching 10 throughout the day.

Places of interest in and around Suratgarh

• Khejri Hanuman Temple
• Kalibanga
• Suratgarh Super Thermal Power Station
• Suratgarh Air Force Station
• Suratgarh Military Station
• Suratgarh Railway Station among top clean railway station in India
• All India Radio Station Aakashwani
• Sodhal Fort
• Lord Ganesh Mandir Dhab
• Shree Cement Factory Udaipur
• Ghaghar river
• Rangmahal
• Badopal
• Padpata Dham Dhaban
• Central State Farm, Suratgarh largest mechanised Farm in South East Asia. It has Russian Machinery Museum.

Economy

There has been a constant boost to the economy with the presence of major defence stations and Suratgarh Thermal Power Station. Further development is provided by the presence of newly constructed cement production factories named as Shree Cement Ltd & Bangur cement unit that use ash from the thermal power plant, produce PPC, OPC & premium cement. Much of the local population depends on agricultural activities for their household income.

Transport

Suratgarh Junction is on the Jodhpur-Bathinda line. Distance from surrounding cities: Bikaner − 174 km, Ganganagar − 70 km, Hanumangarh − 52 km The city is well connected with other cities by train and road networks. National Highway number 62 and a mega highway pass through the city. The city railway junction is 434.93 km from Delhi railway junction. Its 8 hours journey from National capital by train route.

Culture

City Suratgarh city is culturally diverse. Most of the people from the main city are either employed by the government or local merchants. The city has a traditional Bagri cultural element, but, not being far from Punjab and Punjabi speaking areas of western Haryana, there is also a rich influence of Punjabi culture. The presence of two major military garrisons of Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Super Thermal Power Plant, Suratgarh Junction railway station and Central State Farm has resulted in the area being home to multiple cultures from all across India. Due to security concerns cultural interactions between the civilian local residents and the military are extremely limited to senior administration officials.

Sports

There is an infrastructure for the practice of sports such as cricket, football, badminton, and basketball. The government college sports ground located at NH 62 highway provides a good platform for sport activities.