Ever wondered how a small uprising led to the birth of a municipality? That’s Rajpur Sonarpur for you a place with a history etched in the very fabric of its being.
Rajpur Sonarpur is a city in South 24 Parganas district. It is located in West Bengal India. The city forms a part of the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. This makes it an important part of the urban sprawl.
To understand Rajpur Sonarpur we must travel back to 1857. A widespread revolt shook India. Though unsuccessful it rattled the British East India Company. The British Parliament then assumed control through the Victoria Charter. This led to administrative changes across India including the 24 Parganas.
The British decided to establish self-governing bodies. These would ensure better services. In 1869 the South Suburban Municipality was formed. It included Behala and extended to the southern parts of South 24 Parganas. Sri Roy Bahadur Ambika Charan Ray became its first chairman. He oversaw the southern districts including villages like Harinavi Malancha and Chanripota.
But the story of Rajpur Sonarpur doesn’t end there. People around Harinavi led by Zamindar Nabin Chand Ghosh. They fought for a separate municipality. After two years of legal battles they succeeded. On April 1 1876 Rajpur Municipality was born. It covered about two square miles and consisted of five wards. These included Jagaddal Rajpur Harinavi Kodalia and Malancha.
Rajpur became known for its commercial activities. However setting up the new municipality wasn’t easy. Zamindar Nabin Chand Ghosh Panchanan Ghosh and Yogendranath Mitra resolved the issue. They donated their ancestral property. This property is now located in front of the DVAS High School.
Over time Jagaddal Malancha Mahinagar Kodalia Rajpur Subhasgram Harinavi and Baikanthapur. These villages from 11 mouzas were added to the municipality. The total area of Rajpur Municipality became 20.98 square kilometers. It had 14 wards.
Rajpur Sonarpur is proud of its luminaries. These include Manabendranath Roy Hari Kumar Chakraborty and Salil Chowdhury.
In 1980 Rajpur Municipality became free from administrator’s rule. A nominated board was formed. Mr Santimoy Bhattacharya and Mr Kamal Bhattacharya were the first Chairman and Vice Chairman. In 1981 a new municipal board was elected. Mr Bhattacharya and Mr Bhattacharya retained their positions.
This marked a turning point in municipal administration. Plans were implemented and dreams turned into reality. Health projects like CUDP-III and IPP-VIII were initiated. A separate PWD wing for public works was established.
Recognizing rapid urbanization the government extended Rajpur Municipality’s jurisdiction. On December 16 1993 the present form of Rajpur Sonarpur Municipality was created. It included areas from adjacent Gram Panchayats. The new municipality covered about 49.25 square kilometers. It had a population of about 228000.00.
Today Rajpur Sonarpur Municipality covers an area of 49.26 square kilometers. It is divided into 35 administrative wards. The municipality strives to provide better services to its citizens. Five local offices have been set up in addition to the main office at Harinavi.
Rajpur Sonarpur stands as a testament to the power of local governance. It shows how a community can shape its own destiny.