Balichak

Balichak is located at 22.37°N 87.55°E / 22.37; 87.55.[1] It has an average elevation of 12 metres (42 feet). It is located in the Debra CD Block in the Kharagpur subdivision of the Paschim Medinipur district.[2]

As per 2011 Census of India Balichak had a total population of 13,784 of which 6,735 (49%) were males and 7,049 (51%) were females. Population below 6 years is 1,261, which is 9.15% of total population.

Literacy rate of Balichak town is 87.39% , higher than national average of 74.04%. Male literacy is around 92.22% and female literacy rate is 82.82%.

Bengali is the local language of this area.

The headquarters of Debra CD Block are located at Balichak.[3]

Balichak Bus stand,Balichak

Balichak is well connected by roads/highways to other important towns of South Bengal including Medinipur, Kharagpur, Belda, Jhargram, Contai, Digha, Howrah and also with Kolkata. This town is served by Balichak railway station. Local trains of South Eastern Line are frequently available at Balichak railway station. Locals use bicycles and motorbikes for transportation within the town. Rickshaws and cabs, autoes are also available.

There are numbers of schools in Balichak. The schools of Balichak Town are

• Geetibeethika--Sangeet O Kala Shiksha Kendra

• Maa Sarada Vidyamandir
• Balichak Christopherday School
• Ramakrishna nursery school
• Aurobinda Vidyabhawan(English Medium, ICSE Board)
• Balichak Bhajahari Institution
• Balichak Girls High School
• Antala Sitala High School
• Duan Rudreswar High School
• Jhanjia Gopal Chandra Institution
• Brahmansasan Kamala Vidyapith

There are few Banks and financial houses that serve the people living in Balichak and nearby areas. While State Bank of India is the busiest of all, other banks like United Bank of India, Vidyasagar Central Co-operative Bank Ltd also have their presence here. Bandhan Bank has a DSC branch at Balichak. United Bank of India has two branches here. SBI Branch is at station Road, UBI(Balichak Branch) near Balichak Bhajahari institution and UBI(Hamirpur Branch) is at Balichak station road, Vidyasagar Central Coop Bank is at Balichak daily bazar. State Bank of India also has e-corner with branch. Life Insurance Corporation has a satellite branch in Balichak. The Private institutions do business mainly in the investment area.

The regular Bengali festivals like Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja and Kali Puja are well attended. Other common pujas in the worship of Sitala, Jagaddhatri, Holi, Janmastami, Rath Yatra, Dussera(Ravan Pora) also takes place.GEETIBEETHIKA -- the well-known music school has been working with relentless devotion for the advancement of music and culture in the region since 1989.

Balichak is connected by train and is a part of the South Eastern Railway zone. It is by far the busiest railway station in South Eastern Railway Zone within West Bengal due to its connectivity to few other major places like Pingla, Sabang, Debra etc. Being one of the busiest stations in the network, hundreds of passengers from all around Balichak & even far-away places commute daily from Balichak railway station. Few year ago the station got the facility of computerized ticketing service which helped local people to get railway tickets for anywhere in India.