West Bengal polls: Steel belt Durgapur reinvents itself as medical & education hub

DURGAPUR: From revival of industry, local employment based on service sector growth - medical and education hubs - to changing skyline, with high-rises and malls, contestants for forthcoming assembly election in Durgapur are trying to score on development.

Regarded as a cornerstone of former chief minister Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy's industrialization vision for Bengal, the city is undergoing rapid urbanization.

The Steel City of Bengal has two sets of voters: some belonging to the emerging service sectors and others evaluating the new look in the light of the town's main USP - industry.




New candidates from the TMC and the BJP - Kabi Dutta (TMC candidate in Durgapur West) and Chandra Sekhar Banerjee (BJP candidate in Durgapur East) - are looking to take on their rivals from 2021 assembly polls. The previous winners, state minister Pradip Mazumdar (TMC) in Durgapur East and Lakshman Chandra Ghorui (BJP) in Durgapur West, exuded confidence on their victory with more votes this time. In 2021, Ghorui won the same seat with 91,186 votes, defeating TMC's Biswanath Parial.

Sagar Parbat, a 21-year-old voter, said, "For higher studies, we no longer need to move to other places." Octogenarian voter, Ranjit Guha, said the town of factories has turned into a Tier-2 city, which is growing.

In Durgapur West constituency, Kabi Dutta and Lakshman Chandra Ghorui are assuring the electors of reviving the town's industrial glory and that local youths won't have to go outside in search of work. CPI(M) and Congress have fielded Provas Sain and Tarun Roy, respectively, in this seat. In the Special Intensive Revision, about 1,987 electors have been struck off the roll, according to the ECI's figures.

"If voted to the office, we will not only revive the closed units but also bring new industries," Ghorui told TOI.

TMC has fielded newcomer Dutta opposite Ghorui. He has also kept the same issues on his agenda. "My career in politics may be 20-day-old but I have been connected to the people, who are my neighbours. Durgapur is an industrial town where multiple units have closed operations but the town still holds the conditions conducive for industrial growth. Our party is in favour of industry and we will do the needful if people give us a chance," he said.

This time Durgapur East constituency, which saw the deletion of 3,828 voters is going to have a close contest between TMC's old candidate,Pradip Mazumdar, and BJP's new candidate Chandra Sekhar Banerjee. CPI(M) has fielded Simanta Chatterjee and Debesh Chakraborty is competing on a Congress ticket.

In the last assembly poll, Mazumdar won the seat with 79,303 votes. His rival from BJP, Col Diptansu Chaudhury, had received 75,557 votes. Mazumdar has been highlighting how 150 beds were increased in a govt hospital, construction and repair of 326 roads, installation of 196 irrigation pumps, among other infrastructure projects. "With MPLAD funds, 47 projects have been completed. Work is ongoing for 15 other projects," he said.

BJP's Banerjee hopes that 'lotus will bloom' on May 4. Harping on the same string, his party's allegation against the opponents, Banerjee stated, "During door-to-door visits, I am getting overwhelming response from the people." He claimed to have witnessed 'a wind of change' blowing in his constituency.

Development is an essential part of his manifesto. He claimed some projects are yet to be delivered. Drinking water has been a problem, according to him.
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