city, south-central West Bengal state, northeastern India. It is located just east of the Hugli (Hooghly) River (Hugli River) and is part of the Kolkata (Calcutta) (Calcutta) urban agglomeration. Connected by road and rail with Kolkata, it is a rice-trading centre. Its major industries include cotton milling, tanneries, and the manufacture of chemicals, pottery, cement, glass, paint, and rubber goods. With the southern suburb of Agarpara, it was constituted a municipality in 1900, when it was separated from Barrackpore municipality. Pop. (2001) 348,438.