Jaigaon জয়গাওঁ (Bengali) जयगाँव (Hindi) जयगाउँ (Nepali) |
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Town | |
Jaigaon from the kharbandi (Bhutan)
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Location in West Bengal, India, | |
Coordinates: 26°50′N 89°23′E / 26.83°N 89.38°ECoordinates: 26°50′N 89°23′E / 26.83°N 89.38°E | |
Country | India |
State | West Bengal |
District | Alipurduar |
Government | |
• Type | Democratic |
• Body | Jaigaon Gram Panchayat and Jaigaon Development Authority |
Population (2011)As per data.gov.in | |
• Total | 42,254 |
Languages | |
• Official | Nepali, Bengali, English |
Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
Lok Sabha Constituency | Alipurduar (ST) |
Vidhan Sabha constituency | Kalchini (ST) |
Website |
www www |
Jaigaon is a town in the Alipurduar district, West Bengal, India. It is located on the country's border with Bhutan. The main overland entrance to Bhutan is through Jaigaon and Bhutan Gate separates the two countries. Bhutan does not have domestic roads linking to all its towns, so Bhutan uses Indian roads passing through Jaigaon to reach such destinations as Samtse, Gomtu and Samdrup Jongkhar.
Bagdogra Airport (Siliguri) is the nearest airport, and Kolkata its nearest port, where goods to Bhutan are brought from. Hasimara is the nearest railway station. India offers a free flow of goods from Kolkata port to Bhutan. It lies on the banks of the Torsa River. It is a census town and a police station of Alipurduar subdivision.
Jaigaon is in a small valley located near the low-lying hills of the Himalayan mountains. Jaigaon receives an abundant amount of rainfall throughout the year. The outskirts of the city are demarcated by tea gardens. The Toorsa River flows at the lower end of the town. High levels of in-migration to Jaigaon from elsewhere in India has caused the environmental conditions of the city to deteriorate. To solve the problem of non-potable drinking water, various bore wells and pump stations operate around the town, adding to the problem of the decreasing water table below the town.
Jaigaon is located at 26°50′N 89°23′E / 26.83°N 89.38°E. Jaigaon has a hilly and sloppy terrain. The town is situated at the India-Bhutan border with Phuentsholing. There are several streams coming from the uphills and joining the river Toorsa at the downtown.
As of census 2011 India census, Jaigaon had a population of 42,254. Males constitute 51.2% of the population and females 48.8%. Jaigaon has an average literacy rate of 60.52%.