Kolkata’s suburbs have become hotspots for residential and commercial development projects. From Rajarhat in the north to Joka in the south, the suburban landscape of Kolkata has witnessed sporadic growth. The advancements in infrastructure, connectivity and township planning across the major suburbs have contributed to making these areas a favourable place for citizens to live in. 

The heart of West Bengal still lies in the City of Joy - Kolkata, but the suburbs are fast catching up. From modern shopping malls, highrises to metro connectivity and better investment opportunities, there is a lot of activity that has been going on in these suburbs. 

Let’s look at how some of these suburbs have grown over the past decade. 

Newtown and Rajarhat

Known as the IT hub of the state, Newton is perhaps the fastest growing suburban city close to Kolkata. It is now considered more urban by many Kolkatans.But just a decade ago the area was a showcase of empty land pockets, unmotorable and unlit roads and swampy areas. It would seem like a secluded land parcel. 

However, today Newtown has a completely different sight to show. It is now home to some prestigious institutions like St. Xavier’s University, Tata Medical Centre and Cognizant. Popular leisure and recreational areas like City Centre 2, Eco Park and Newtown Business Club are located here. The area has now become a well-planned urban township with all the modern amenities like 6-lane roads, dedicated cycling lanes, dense patches of green cover and pedestrian subways. It has also become a commercial and hospitality hub. Many hotels and banquet halls have come up in the area.

Rajarhat is another fast-growing suburban area in the North. Unlike Newtown that was specially developed by the government, Rajarhat’s growth story has been organic and spontaneous. This makes it an interesting sight for city planners. It starts near the Charnock Hospital VIP-Road crossing and continues further towards the Chinar Park crossing. Major developments in this area have been along the stretch of Rajarhat Main Road. A decade back, navigating along this road was a nightmare. The majority of the stretches were earthen roads but now have been converted into wide bituminous roads, improving connectivity in the area.

This has resulted in the emergence of many high-rise residential complexes in Rajarhat. These complexes are mini townships in themselves with supermarkets, clubs and recreational activity areas within their campuses. Proximity to the Airport has also contributed to several standalone and franchise hotels opening up branches here. 

Madhyamgram and Birati

Situated close to the Airport, Madhyamgram is well-connected with the rest of the city through road and railway. The city has been a hub for textile mills for many decades but recently commercial activities have also increased at an amazing pace. The most noted attraction is the Star Mall. Many residential projects with world-class amenities are under construction in Madhyamgram. Low price points are what is pulling home buyers to this city.

Similar to Madhyamgram, Birati is also getting a lot of attention because of its easy connectivity like closeness to the airport and Birati Railway Station. The city is equipped with decent schools and has been witnessing tremendous real estate activity recently. The travel time from between Birati and IT hubs of Salt Lake and Newtown is within 15-20 minutes. Along with this, the low real estate prices make Birati a favourable area for home buyers. 

Howrah and Uttarpara 

Home to Howrah Railway station, the largest railway complex in the country, the area’s true potential for development had been neglected for many decades. But over the past few years, the Howrah suburban area has been transformed into a beautiful city. The improvement of the Grand Foreshore and Foreshore roads has been one of Howrah’s major development projects. This has eased the traffic flowing in and out of Howrah - a big relief to the residents of the area! 

The banks along the Hooghly river have been beautified by constructing several parks and pedestrian sidewalks. Taking a stroll along the bank, one can see the beautiful Kolkata skyline across the river. These developments have resulted in many leisure residential complexes spanning up in Howrah.

Uttarpara is also a fast-growing riverside township situated some 20 KMs from Howrah. The improvement in inland waterways and expansion of the metro has resulted in the once not so well-connected Uttarpara suburban now becoming a modern satellite town. Travelling between Uttarpara and Kolkata is possible through rail, road and waterways. 

Many prestigious educational institutions have also come up in the area with several more set to open their doors soon. This makes it convenient for families to relocate to this area. The availability of spacious office premises has also enabled many companies to relocate or launch commercial operations at Uttarpara.

Joka and Narendrapur

Joka is a rapidly developing suburban area under the South 24 Parganas district. Until a decade back IIM Calcutta, Pailan World School and Kendriya Vidyalaya were the only few institutions that were located in Joka. The hustle-bustle and the infrastructural activities were a distant affair. But in recent years many infrastructural projects have come up in Joka. New schools, hospitals, malls and banks have opened their doors. The construction of the Joka-BBD Bag metro line, expected to become operational by the end of 2022 is expected to further amplify development activities in the city. The metro line will significantly improve Joka’s connectivity with Kolkata. 

Some 9 km away from Tollygunge is Narendrapur, also a heavily growing suburban area. Narendrapur started buzzing with commercial activities in recent years. Having 2 Metro Stations within 3.5 km from Narendrapur, connectivity with rest of Kolkata is about absolute ease. Access to basic infrastructure like road connectivity, schools and colleges are what makes the city popular.  Narendrapur is also home to the famous Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, the educational institution of national repute. The property prices in Narendrapur are also relatively less when compared to the high prices of other suburban areas of Kolkata. All these factors contribute to making Narendrapur a lucrative destination for real estate investors.

Be it an investor or an end-user, any property buyer seeks a value-for-money proposition and buying or investing in these highly developing suburbs of Kolkata are definitely worth today.