About Raipur

The Capital of Chhattisgarh - Raipur

Raipur being Geographically Located almost at the centre of the Chhattisgarh state, was made its capital. District Raipur Extends from latitude 21° 23″ to longitude 81° 65″.

Area – District Raipur was divided into three parts in the year 1998 resulting in the formation of Mahasamund and Dhamtari districts. Similarly, in the year 2011, Raipur was again divided forming two new districts namely Gariaband and Balodabazar-Bhatapara. Raipur district includes Dharsiwa, Arang, Abhanpur and Tilda plains. Raipur district is situated at 244 to 409 meters above sea level.

Neighbouring Districts – District Raipur is surrounded by six neighbouring districts viz Durg, Bemetara, Balodabazar-Bhatapara, Mahasamund, Raipur and Dhamtari.

Rivers- Mahanadi and Kharun are the major rivers of Raipur district. Mahanadi is the most important river of Chhattisgarh, originating from Shrungi mountains in Sihawa Tehsil of Dhamtari district. Kharun is another important river flowing in Raipur and Durg districts which originates in the hills of Petchuva in Durg district.

Climate and Rainfall – Raipur district has the maximum temperature of 44.3° C and minimum of 12.5° C The total average rainfall in the district is 1370 mm.

As of the 2011 census, Raipur Municipal Corporation had a population of 1,010,087, of which 519,286 are males and 490,801 are females —a sex ratio of 945 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 940 per 1000. 124,471 children are in the age group of 0–6 years, of which 64,522 are boys and 59,949 are girls —a ratio of 929 girls per 1000 boys. There are 769,593 literates (420,155 males, 349,438 females). The effective literacy was 86.90%; male literacy was 92.39% and female literacy was 81.10%, significantly higher than the national average of 73.00%.

The urban agglomeration had a population of 1,122,555, of which males constitute 578,339, females constitute 544,216 —a sex ratio of 941 females per 1000 males and 142,826 children are in the age group of 0–6 years. There are a total of 846,952 literates with an effective literacy rate of 86.45%.

Railways

Raipur Junction railway station is situated on the Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line of the Indian Railways (via Bhusawal, Nagpur, Gondia, Bilaspur, Rourkela, Kharagpur) and is connected with most major cities.

Airport

Swami Vivekananda Airport or Mana Airport is the primary airport serving the state of Chhattisgarh. The airport is located, 15 km (9.3 mi) south of Raipur near Naya Raipur.

Education

Raipur has become the educational hub of Chhatisgarh due to the presence of many institutes of National importance in Engineering, Management, Medical and Law. It is the only city in India which is home to IIM, NIT, AIIMS, Hidayatullah National Law University, and IIIT

Naya Raipur

Naya Raipur (New Raipur) is the new capital of Chhattisgarh.[13] Located between National Highways NH-6 and NH-43, it is 17 km away in the south-east direction from the older city of Raipur. Swami Vivekananda Airport separates the old and new cities.

Ghatarani Waterfalls

Located 85 km from the city of Raipur is Ghatarani Waterfalls, the largest in the state of Chattisgarh. Surrounded by lush greenery, this breathtaking sight is a popular picnic spot. A small trek through a forest would lead you to this beautiful natural beauty. At the bottom of the waterfall lies a naturally formed pool.

Jungle Safari

Jungle Safari, located at Naya Raipur, is one of the famous places of visit in the city. With its primary objective to protect and conserve animals, the zoo has many species of fauna. There are jungle safari and boating rides and is a perfect spot to spend the day with kids.

Purkhauti Muktaangan

Keep your gadgets away and spend a day at Purkhauti Muktangan, a delightful garden reflecting the rich culture of Chhattisgarh. The Hon’ble A.P.J Abdul Kalam inaugurated the place in November 2006. Since then, this garden is a place that attracts tourists and locals alike.

Swami Vivekanand Sarovar

Swami Vivekanand Sarovar is also called Burha Thalab which means old lake. Fenced by a number of trees, especially palm trees, it is a tranquil place to visit. There are several food stalls just outside the park that provide cheap and good quality street food.