Sights

City Center is turning out to be quite a hotspot hangout place. Complete a bunch of Shopping malls and arcades, a cineplex, a host of eateries (some great food and darn cheap at that), with manicured spots where youngsters hang out. If you want the ambience of a good restaurant, you can visit one of the many (like Peerless Inn, Pathik, Luxor). I would prefer the roadside smaller ones that serve both purposes: watching beautiful ladies and awesome food.

Benachity with its quaintish oldish appearance, is still my choice. It is really huge probably close to 2-3 Kms in length with shops on all sides. The charm is really in its small merchant setup - not the big mall one roof thing. And once again some great food joints (like Koh-i-noor: dont get fooled by their appearance-they make some of the best Biryani around).

Durgapur Club is a fraction of its former colonial self(something I do dislike still). Yet, with swimming pools and the whoswho of the Durgapur Steel Plant, complete with its British era high-nosedness, is still a hotspot.

If you have the guts try eating some Roti and mutton at one of the numerous Dhabas by the National Highway (erstwhile GT Road). They are awesome.

KumaraMangalam Park: A shade of its former beautiful self. The lovely lake (where I have spent a lot of time boating), is simply filthy. DSP has not done a thing in the last 10 years for its maintenance. Would love to see it back to what it used to be. so dont go there as yet. Heard the are coming up with some sort of a plan for its maintenance.

Durgapur Barrage Definitely one of the best places to see, if you are interested in one of two things: Nature and man's effort to control its fury. And if you really are game, you should be there at the height of monsoons. Try peering over the railings to watch water being let out of the lock-gates: It is a phenomenal sight. A few yards away from the main barrage is the canal feeding the Hooghly. There is a short foot bridge over it. Try crossing with a lock gate open. It is dizzying. And finally, get down by one the sides (Bankura or Durgapur - prefer Durgapur), the beaches. It is really pretty. Finally, there are a few fishermen who fish in those waters. Pay a few bucks and ask them to give you a ride. Throwing that net is an experience of a lifetime....

The Steel Plant is one awesome thing to see. It is hard to image the scale of things that happen and lets you wonder how the heck does all of this work together. Hats off to the staff of the place. You need a permit to visit: easily obtained from the Administrative building at the main entrance of the Plant.

The Troika Park is a fun place for kids near city center. Its got a toy-train a few rides an bunch of other attractions. Adjacent to it is a deer park. Soothing sight: you can actually walk in and touch a few of the deer. You can also find a leisure boating lake close by.