Binnaguri

Binnaguri বিন্নাগুড়ি
Town
Nickname(s): BNG
Binnaguri Location in West Bengal, India
Coordinates: 26°28′N 89°12′E / 26.46°N 89.2°E / 26.46; 89.2Coordinates: 26°28′N 89°12′E / 26.46°N 89.2°E / 26.46; 89.2
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District	Jalpaiguri
Languages
• Official	Bengali, English
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	735203
Telephone code	03563
Lok Sabha constituency	Alipurduar(ST)
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Madarihat (ST)
Website	jalpaiguri.gov.in

Binnaguri is a Cantonment town located in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal state, India.^[1] It is located at 26° 46' 0N latitude and 89° 2' 60E longitude at an altitude of 216 metres above sea level.

Importance

Binnaguri lies close to the Bhutan and Nepal border, the Bhutanese town of Samchi beingt 10 km to the north. Binnaguri lies in deep Dooars country. Tea gardens are nearby, prominent amongst which are the Binaguri Tea Estate (Binaguri Tea Co. Pvt. Ltd. Kolkata), Moraghat Tea Estate (Binaguri Tea Co. Pvt. Ltd. Kolkata), Telepara Tea Garden, Banarhat Tea Garden, Karbala Tea Garden, Lakhipara Tea Garden, and Gandrapara Tea Garden. The decline in the tea industry has increased the poverty and unemployment in the neighbouring areas. Most of the employment opportunities apart from the tea gardens are in the Army Cantonment, an orphanage and a local chapter of the Dooars Branch Indian Tea Association.

The town is considered the education hub of the region, with institutions like St. James' School, Binnaguri, Army Public School, Binnaguri, Kendriya Vidalaya, St. Patrick's School and NIOS/IGNOU.

The nearest place of tourist interest is the Jaldapara National Park 30 kilometers from the town.

Etymology

There is a grass called "Binn" and the word "Guri" means 'the particular place'. May be this is how the town got its name.

Transport

Binnaguri is connected by road to the district town of Jalpaiguri and other nearby towns of Dhupguri, Gairkata, Birpara, Banarhat, Alipurduar etc. It lies on National Highway 31C (India)(old numbering) which crosses the Teesta river near Siliguri at the Coronation Bridge or Tiger bridge, Binnaguri and onto Hasimara and beyond).

Binnaguri has one important railway station: Binnaguri (Code: BNV, Railway Zone: Northeast Frontier) - on the New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar-Samuktala Road Line.

References