Having travelled by now through several districts of Bengal, I can state with confidence that Durgapur is by far one of the most developed cities in the state – the city can offer several options for entertainment of kids & adults as well as for fine dining & satiating the shopping urge – there is Benachity & malls like Junction & Suhatta for shopping, restaurants like Lemon Grass & City Residency for fine dining experience, bars like Aqualounge & High Octane for the occasional alcohol/hookah splurge, cheap eating options at Panthashala & Dosa Plaza & measures for family/friend get together & amusement at the Barrage & Troika Park (one or the other facility is always lacking in all the districts in Bengal, except of course Calcutta, that I have been to).
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| Inside Troika |
Not all tourist/cultural spots are as soothing as the famed Ram Temple of Bidhan Nagar; some might actually be a waste of time & effort as is the case of Kumar Mangalam Park (KMP) near City Centre – but the Troika Park (aka Anand Amusement Park) in the City Centre area (actually behind the city centre bus stop) is a great case example where a few joy rides & eating options have been thrown in together to create an amusement park that can offer several fun-filled options to the entertainment-starved population of the city. Unlike KMP, the rush of families & children to the park in the evening hours has prevented Troika Park from being overrun by couples. There is also a small but well-maintained church next to the park – it is the haunt of a very friendly feline who doesn’t mind jumping onto the laps of visitors (if it were not for this cat, I would have observed the church features more closely). The park boasts of a toy train, carriage rides, boating facilities & small enclosures where rabbits are housed for the amusement of toddlers, along with several outlets retailing fast food & soft drinks (at slightly above the market price).
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| Furry!! |
Of all the rides, perhaps the toy train is the most boring even though it takes one along a tour of the vast complex; however with nothing attractive to see along the entire route leaves one with no option but to chat up with the friends you are with. In my opinion, the boat rides were the most entertaining – a 2/4-seater boat can be hired for Rs 30 for 10 min (but since the people manning the boat station have their hands full, a boat ride can easily be extended to 25-30 min without their notice) – the boat ride gives excellent opportunity to indulge in some light banter, gossip & reminiscences (or to nudge into other boats just for the sake of it!).
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| Sunset on the lake |
Looking at all the families that were out enjoying themselves in the sun, Troika reminded me of the huge Badhkal Lake (now dried though!) close to my home in Delhi which we used to visit as kids as part of family picnics on Republic & Independence days. Recently, a water park was added to the park – I doubt if I’ll be able to visit the park again, given am still unable to use my left arm & have been advised utmost precaution & my college life comes to an end in another 3 months. But I do fondly wish to visit the place with all my close friends & would also recommend a visit to all those who are in Durgapur for even a few days (special advice to those joining NIT (my alma mater) or Durgapur Steel Plant – after all there isn’t much else to see in the city, is there??)
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| New additions (Photo courtesy - Facebook.com/www.durgapurcity.co.in) |
Location: Near City Center Bus Stand
How to reach: Buses are available from different parts of the city for City Center.
Entrance fees: Rs 20 (Tickets for the rides to be bought from the counter next to the ride)
Photography/Video Charges: Nil
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