Diamond Harbour

Diamond Harbour is a city and a municipality of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is situated on the eastern banks of the Hooghly River. It is the headquarters of the Diamond Harbour subdivision and Diamond Harbour police district.

For other uses, see Diamond Harbour (disambiguation).

Diamond Harbour
City
Diamond Harbour Municipality
Diamond Harbour
Location in West Bengal
Diamond Harbour
Location in India
Coordinates: 22.1987°N 88.2023°E / 22.1987; 88.2023
Country India
StateWest Bengal
DivisionPresidency
DistrictSouth 24 Parganas
Government
 • TypeMunicipality
 • BodyDiamond Harbour Municipality
Area
 • Total10.36 km2 (4.00 sq mi)
Elevation
8 m (26 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total41,802
 • Density4,000/km2 (10,000/sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialBengali[1][2]
 • Additional officialEnglish[1]
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
743331
Telephone code+91 3174
Vehicle registrationWB-19 to WB-22, WB-95 to WB-99
Lok Sabha constituencyDiamond Harbour
Vidhan Sabha constituencyDiamond Harbour
Websitewww.diamondharbourmunicipality.org

History

Earlier known as Hajipur, the city was named Diamond Harbour by the British. It used to be considered a safe resting spot for oceangoing ships and had views of the river. After the Rupnarayan River joins the Hooghly River, the river bends south and widens out to a form a huge expanse of water. A little further down, the Haldi River joins it.

In earlier days Diamond Harbour was a stronghold of Portuguese pirates. The ruins of the fort of Chingrikhali (locally known as Purano Kella) can still be seen. There is an old lighthouse nearby.

Geography
Cities and towns in the western part of Diamond Harbour subdivision (including Falta, Diamond Harbour I & II, Kulpi CD blocks) in South 24 Parganas district
M: municipal city/ town, CT: census town, R: rural/ urban centre, N: neighbourhood, H: historical place/ religious centre
Owing to space constraints in the small map, the actual locations in a larger map may vary slightly

Area overview

Diamond Harbour subdivision is a rural subdivision with patches of urbanization. Only 14.61% of the population lives in the urban areas and an overwhelming 85.39% lives in the rural areas. In the western portion of the subdivision (shown in the map alongside) there are 11 census towns. The entire district is situated in the Ganges Delta and the western part, located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, is covered by the Kulpi Diamond Harbour Plain, which is 5–6 metres above sea level. Archaeological excavations at Deulpota and Harinarayanpur, on the bank of the Hooghly River indicate the existence of human habitation more than 2,000 years ago.[3][4][5]

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.

Location

Diamond Harbour is located at 22°11′55″N 88°12′08″E. It has an average elevation of 8 metres (26 ft).[6]

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as tropical wet and dry (Aw).

The overall climate of Diamond harbour is warm and humid. The summer temperature often crosses 35 °C when it drops 15 °C. The highest temperature ever was 43.0 °C, recorded on 21 May 2002. The lowest temperature dropped was 8.2 °C, on 13 January 2003. The annual average rainfall is 1600 mm. The air is moderately humid, around 76%.

Climate data for Diamond Harbour (1981–2010, extremes 1978–2012)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 33.2
(91.8)		 38.0
(100.4)		 38.7
(101.7)		 41.8
(107.2)		 43.0
(109.4)		 40.4
(104.7)		 37.4
(99.3)		 37.4
(99.3)		 36.5
(97.7)		 36.8
(98.2)		 35.5
(95.9)		 32.0
(89.6)		 43.0
(109.4)
Average high °C (°F) 25.5
(77.9)		 28.6
(83.5)		 32.1
(89.8)		 33.3
(91.9)		 33.9
(93.0)		 33.0
(91.4)		 31.8
(89.2)		 31.8
(89.2)		 31.8
(89.2)		 32.0
(89.6)		 29.9
(85.8)		 26.9
(80.4)		 30.9
(87.6)
Average low °C (°F) 14.1
(57.4)		 17.8
(64.0)		 22.6
(72.7)		 25.7
(78.3)		 26.6
(79.9)		 27.0
(80.6)		 26.8
(80.2)		 26.7
(80.1)		 26.4
(79.5)		 24.5
(76.1)		 19.8
(67.6)		 15.3
(59.5)		 22.8
(73.0)
Record low °C (°F) 8.2
(46.8)		 9.8
(49.6)		 14.1
(57.4)		 18.0
(64.4)		 19.3
(66.7)		 21.4
(70.5)		 23.2
(73.8)		 21.5
(70.7)		 22.4
(72.3)		 18.5
(65.3)		 13.3
(55.9)		 9.8
(49.6)		 8.2
(46.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 13.3
(0.52)		 24.2
(0.95)		 40.8
(1.61)		 52.8
(2.08)		 124.0
(4.88)		 277.7
(10.93)		 364.6
(14.35)		 304.9
(12.00)		 314.1
(12.37)		 133.7
(5.26)		 32.4
(1.28)		 3.7
(0.15)		 1,686.3
(66.39)
Average rainy days 1.0 1.5 2.1 3.0 6.2 12.2 15.9 16.0 13.5 5.8 1.4 0.4 79.0
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST) 67 65 67 76 78 84 85 85 86 80 74 70 76
Source: India Meteorological Department[7][8]

Demographics
Population of Diamond Harbour 
CensusPopulation %±
19519,818
—
196110,1353.2%
197113,07229.0%
198120,25955.0%
199130,26649.4%
200137,23423.0%
201141,80212.3%
Source:[9]

According to the 2011 Census of India, Diamond Harbour had a total population of 41,802, of which 21,050 were males and 20,752 were females. There were 3,688 people in the age range of 0 to 6 years. The total number of literate people was 32,753, which constituted 78.4% of the population with male literacy of 81.7% and female literacy of 75.0%. The effective literacy (7+) of population over 6 years of age was 85.9%, of which male literacy rate was 89.6% and female literacy rate was 82.2%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 5,221 and 72 respectively. Diamond Harbour had a total of 10,048 households as of 2011.[10]

According to the 2001 Census of India, Diamond Harbour had a total population of 37,234. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. It has an average literacy rate of 72%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 67%. 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.[11]

Civic administration

Municipality

Diamond Harbour Municipality covers an area of 10.36 km2 (4.00 sq mi). It has jurisdiction over parts of the Diamond Harbour. The municipality was established in 1982 (1982). It is divided into 16 wards. According to the 2015 municipal election, it is being controlled by the All India Trinamool Congress.[12]

Police stations

Diamond Harbour police station covers an area of 134 km2 (52 sq mi). It has jurisdiction over parts of the Diamond Harbour Municipality, and the Diamond Harbour I and Diamond Harbour II CD blocks.[13][14]

Diamond Harbour women police station has jurisdiction over parts of the Diamond Harbour Municipality, and the Diamond Harbour I and Diamond Harbour II CD blocks.[15][14]

CD block HQ

The headquarters of the Diamond Harbour I CD block are located at Diamond Harbour.[16]

Economy

The area being in the proximity of the Bay of Bengal, there is scope for development of ports and shipping activity. The special economic zone at Falta is one of the eight such zones of the Government of India. It has container-handling jetty. The Government of West Bengal proposes to construct a minor port at Kulpi with facilities for handling containers.

As large oceangoing ships with full load of goods cannot enter the river ports at Kolkata and Haldia, the need for a seaport in the area has been felt for a long time. Such a future port would obviously be located at south of Diamond Harbour but would enhance the importance of the place as a base for the port.

Kolkata Port Trust is considering construction of cargo handling jetties at Diamond Harbour.[17]

Transport

Diamond Harbour is on the National Highway 12.[18]

Diamond Harbour railway station is on the Sealdah–Diamond Harbour line of the Kolkata Suburban Railway system.[18][19]

Commuters

With the electrification of the railways, suburban traffic has grown tremendously since the 1960s. As of 2005-06, more than 1.7 million (17 lakhs) commuters use the Kolkata Suburban Railway system daily. After the partition of India, refugees from East Pakistan/ Bangladesh had a strong impact on the development of urban areas in the periphery of Kolkata. The new immigrants depended on Kolkata for their livelihood, thus increasing the number of commuters. Eastern Railway runs 1,272 EMU trains daily.[20]

Education

Healthcare

Diamond Harbour Subdivisional Hospital, with 250 beds, is the major government medical facility in the Diamond Harbour subdivision.[25]

References
  1. "Fact and Figures". Wb.gov.in. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  2. "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India" (PDF). Nclm.nic.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs. p. 85. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  3. "District Statistical Handbook 2014 South Twety-four Parganas". Table 2.1 , 2.2, 2.4b. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. "Census of India 2011, West Bengal, District Census Handbook, South Twentyfour Parganas, Series – 20, Part XII-A, Village and Town Directory" (PDF). Page 13, Physiography. Directorate of Census Operations, West Bengal. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. "District Human Development Report: South 24 Parganas". Chapter 9: Sundarbans and the Remote Islanders, p 290-311. Development & Planning Department, Government of West Bengal, 2009. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  6. Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Diamond Harbour
  7. "Station: Diamond Harbour Climatological Table 1981–2010" (PDF). Climatological Normals 1981–2010. India Meteorological Department. January 2015. pp. 253–254. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  8. "Extremes of Temperature & Rainfall for Indian Stations (Up to 2012)" (PDF). India Meteorological Department. December 2016. p. M234. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  9. "District Census Handbook North Twenty Four Parganas, Census of India 2011, Series 20, Part XII A" (PDF). Section II Town Directory, Pages 781-783 Statement I: Growth History, Pages 799-803. Directorate of Census Operations V, West Bengal. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  10. "Census of India: Diamond Harbour". www.censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  11. "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  12. "Diamond Harbour Municipality". Department of Municipal Affairs. Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  13. "Diamond Harbour police station". Diamond Harbour police district. West Bengal police. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  14. "District Statistical Handbook 2014 South 24 Parganas". Table No. 2.1. Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  15. "Diamond Harbour Women PS". Diamond Harbour police district. West Bengal police. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  16. "BDO Offices under South 24 Parganas District". West Bengal Public Library Network, Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  17. "The Statesman 1 October 2006". Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2007.
  18. Google maps
  19. "34814 Sealdah-Diamond Harbour Local". Time Table. India Rail Info. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  20. Mondal, Bhaswati. "Commuting and Metropolitan Development of Kolkata". Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  21. "Fakir Chand College". FCC. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  22. "Diamond Harbour Women's University". DHWU. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  23. "Diamond Harbour Government Polytechnic". DHGP. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  24. "Diamond Harbour Government Medical College & Hospital". DHGMC. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  25. "Health & Family Welfare Department" (PDF). Health Statistics - Hospitals. Government of West Bengal. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
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