Summary
Bongaigaon is a major town in the Indian state of Assam. Its urban area spans across Bongaigaon and Chirang district. The town also serves as the gateway of the North-East Frontier Railway Zone with its New Bongaigaon Junction railway station, the second biggest railway station in North-East India. It also acts as the district headquarters of Bongaigaon district and commercial and industrial hub of the west part of the state of Assam. Bongaigaon is one of the most populated urban agglomerations in Assam, alongside Guwahati, Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Silchar.
Bongaigaon | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Bongaigaon Town | |
 | |
| Nickname(s): Commercial and Industrial Hub of Assam | |
  Bongaigaon Location in Assam, India | |
| Coordinates: 26°28′37″N 90°33′30″E / 26.47694°N 90.55833°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Assam |
| Region | Lower Assam |
| District | Bongaigaon & Chirang district |
| Bongaigaon Municipal Board | 29 September 1989 |
| Founded by | Government of Assam |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| • Body | BMB, BDA, KMB |
| • Deputy Commissioner | Shri Nabadeep Pathak, ACS |
| • Superintendent | Swapnaneel Deka, (APS) |
| Area | |
| • Town | 14 km2 (5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 62.6 m (205.4 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Town | 129,894 |
| • Rank | 6th |
| • Density | 9,300/km2 (24,000/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 139,650 |
| Demonym | Bon Gaoliyans |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Assamese, Bodo, English |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 3 postcodes
|
| Telephone code | 03664-XXXXXX |
| Vehicle registration | AS-19, AS-26 |
| Literacy | 96.42% (2011) |
| Legislature type | Municipality |
| Planning agency | 3 |
| Sex ratio | 961 per 1000 male (Census 2011) ♂/♀ |
| Climate | Subtropical (Köppen) |
| Precipitation | 1,717.7 millimetres (67.63 in) |
| Avg. annual temperature | 25 °C (77 °F) |
| Summer temperature | 33 - 38 °C |
| Out Growth (OG) incl Bongaigaon Urban Agglomerations | 9 region
|
| Census Towns (CT) incl Bongaigaon Urban Agglomerations | 3 region
|
| Website | bongaigaon |
The city was the last capital of Koch Hajo and is home to many historical monuments of Koch Rajbongshi and Kamatapuri cultures. The city, divided into two parts – Old Bongaigaon and New Bongaigaon - is situated 180 kilometres (112 mi) north west of Guwahati, the largest city of Assam. To meet the demands of the Bodo people of Assam, Bongaigaon was divided up to create Chirang district.[citation needed] Bongaigaon has a major petrochemical industry, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited[1][2] (IOCL BGR[3]). The town joined the Indian Railways system with the establishment of the railway station in the year 1908. Most of the city's institutions, such as ITI, Bongaigaon College, the Office of the Assam State Electricity Board and other elements of the town's development were established in the early 1960s. The city developed further with the establishment of the Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (BRPL) complex in the year 1972 at Dhaligaon, and the Thermal Power Plant at Salakati. Though these areas are not within the limits of Bongaigaon Municipality, the town also caters to the demand of this population.
The town today has evolved to be one of the major commercial and business hubs of the state, with increasing numbers of shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, residential apartments and educational institutions.[citation needed] The town also serves as the base for tourism to places such as the Manas National Park.[4][5] Centrally located within the state, the town has a vibrant Assamese township and culture.
Etymology edit
According to lore, the name 'Bongaigaon' derives from the words 'bon' (wild) and 'gai' (cow). In the distant past, wild cows were often a menace to villagers in this area, due to which the district got its name.[citation needed]
History edit
Bijni Kingdom edit
The area was ruled by zamindars hailing from the Koch belonging to Indo-Mongoloid ethnic group of peoples from the 16th century to the end of princely states in 1956.[citation needed]
Administrative changes under British rule edit
The original Goalpara district was first created in 1822 by David Scott, an employee of the East India Company and the first Commissioner of newly created North east Rangpur district headquarters at Rangpur town (now in Bangladesh). The newly created Goalpara district was connected with North-east Rangpur district for administration. The area, formerly part of the Bijni Kingdom, which included the undivided Garo Hills district constituted the Undivided Goalpara district area in 1822. In 1866, Garo Hills was separated from the Goalpara district area, and in the same year a new district named "Greater Koch Behar" was created and the remaining portion of Goalpara district was withdrawn from Rangpur and tagged with Koch Behar. In 1874 a new province, the Assam Valley Province, was created by the British government, and Goalpara district area was withdrawn from Koch Behar and tagged with Assam Province, which continues until today. The original Goalpara district is now split into five districts: Goalpara, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Bongaigoan, and Chirang.
Creation of Bongaigaon and modern era edit
On 14 March 1989, bombs from separatist tribal militants[who?] exploded in Bongaigaon, killing 17 and wounding at least 48.[6]
The government of Assam decided in 1989 to create a new district of Bongaigaon, carving out some areas of the Goalpara and Kokrajhar Districts with its headquarters located at Bongaigaon. On 29 September 1989, the creation of Bongaigaon District was declared by the Government of Assam with its headquarters at Bongaigaon. In 2005, the Government of Assam declared Bongaigaon to be a city.
In June 2022, heavy floods in Assam affected the residents of Bongaigaon.[7]
Administration edit
The Bongaigaon Town Committee was first constituted in the year 1961 and was upgraded to a Municipal Board in the year 1977. Presently the Municipal Area consists of 25 wards covering an area of 14.31 sq m.[citation needed]
Bongaigaon is part of Barpeta (Lok Sabha constituency).[8] Phani Bhusan Choudhury is the current M.L.A. of the Bongaigaon constituency.
Geography edit
Bongaigaon is located at 26°28′37″N 90°33′30″E / 26.47694°N 90.55833°E.[9] It has an average altitude of 62.6 metres. The town is situated 200 km west of the State Capital and has an important place in the communication network of Assam and wider northeast India. The New Bongaigaon railway station is a major hub connecting Assam with the rest of India. This town is also very well connected by road through the National Highways 31 B and 31C. This connectivity and the strategic location of the town in the region has made it an important center in trade and commerce in Western Assam, serving a vast hinterland. It is one of the biggest industrial towns in Lower Assam. The district is part of the Brahmaputra river's basin.[10][page needed]
Climate edit
Bongaigaon has a borderline monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) marginally too cool to be a tropical savanna climate (Aw). During the "cool" season from November to February, afternoons are warm to very warm and mornings are cool. In the "hot" season of March and April, the weather becomes hot and thunderstorm rainfalls increase in frequency to prelude the oppressive monsoon season from June to September where heavy rainfall occurs every afternoon.
| Climate data for Bongaigaon | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 30 (86) |
33 (91) |
38 (100) |
40 (104) |
38 (100) |
40 (104) |
37 (99) |
37 (99) |
37 (99) |
35 (95) |
32 (90) |
28 (82) |
40 (104) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23 (73) |
25 (77) |
30 (86) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
32 (90) |
32 (90) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
27 (81) |
24 (75) |
29 (84) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10 (50) |
12 (54) |
15 (59) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
21 (70) |
16 (61) |
11 (52) |
19 (66) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2 (28) |
−3 (27) |
4 (39) |
11 (52) |
16 (61) |
18 (64) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
9 (48) |
0 (32) |
−1 (30) |
−3 (27) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 11.4 (0.45) |
12.8 (0.50) |
57.7 (2.27) |
142.3 (5.60) |
248.0 (9.76) |
350.1 (13.78) |
353.6 (13.92) |
269.9 (10.63) |
166.2 (6.54) |
79.2 (3.12) |
19.4 (0.76) |
5.1 (0.20) |
1,715.7 (67.53) |
| Source: wunderground.com[11] | |||||||||||||
Localities in Bongaigaon edit
- Mayapuri
- Borpara
- Paglasthan
- Mahabeersthan
- Chapaguri
- Dhaligaon
- New Bongaigaon
- Borsongaon
- Deuripara
- Purani Bongaigaon
- BOC Gate
- Rolling Mill
- Dolaigaon
- Notunpara
- Kukurmari
- Hatimutra
- Salbari
- New Colony (Railway)
- Old Colony (Railway)
- Salbagan
- Bhakarivita
Demography edit
On the Bongaigaon city municipal board, Hindus comprise the majority by 90.73%.[citation needed] The majority of the city population works in the service industry.[citation needed]
Bongaigaon city area has a population of 139,650 as per the 2011 census. Bengali is spoken by 49,617 people, Assamese by 34,814, Hindi by 18,768, and 36,448 people speak other languages.[12][irrelevant citation]
Economy edit
Media and technology edit
The most popular Assamese newspaper of Assam, Asomiya Pratidin, is published from Bongaigaon along with Guwahati, Dibrugarh and North Lakhimpur.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited edit
The Bongaigaon Refinery is the eighth largest refinery of Indian Oil. Formed upon the amalgamation of Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (BRPL) with Indian Oil on 25 March 2009, Bongaigaon refinery is situated at Dhaligaon in Chirang district of Assam, 200 km west of Guwahati.
It has two Crude Distillation Units (CDU), two Delayed Coker Units, and a Coke Calcination Unit (CCU) with a p
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Global 500". Fortune Global 500. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
- ^ "List of Maharatna, Navratna and Miniratna CPSEs". dpe.nic.in. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
- ^ "IOC Raises 500 MN in Dollar Bond Issue". business-standard.com. Press Trust of India. 29 July 2013.
- ^ "WWF - Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan". panda.org. Archived from the original on 7 November 2009.
- ^ Amelan, Roni (21 June 2011). "Successful preservation of India's Manas Wildlife Sanctuary enables withdrawal from the List of World Heritage in Danger". whc.unesco.org.
- ^ "WORLD : Separatists' Bombs Kill 17 in India". Los Angeles Times. 14 March 1989. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ "Flood situation 'critical' in India's Assam". ca.news.yahoo.com. 20 June 2022. Archived from the original on 22 June 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ "List of Parliamentary & Assembly Constituencies" (PDF). Assam. Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 May 2006. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
- ^ "Maps, Weather, and Airports for Bongaigaon, India". fallingrain.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ a b "District Report BONGAIGAON" (PDF). commissioned by Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
- ^ "Historical Weather for Delhi, India". Weather Underground. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2008.
- ^ "DDW-C16-TOWN-STMT-MDDS-1800.XLSX" (XLSX). Archived from the original (XLSX) on 24 July 2018.
External links edit
- Bongaigaon District official website
Bongaigaon travel guide from Wikivoyage
