Ranit Kr. Singh , Kolkata — The Paschim Medinipur district administration has initiated plans to carve out a new subdivision centered around the commercial hub of Belda to reduce public harassment and accelerate overall local development. The proposed subdivision will encompass five blocks, effectively streamlining administrative control in a region where remote border residents currently endure massive travel times. In tandem with this restructuring, the administration is considering dividing the sprawling, 16-panchayat Narayangarh block into two distinct units for smoother governance. Additionally, official discussions are actively underway to upgrade the rapidly expanding, business-centric Belda city into a full-fledged municipality to ensure better urban amenities and civic infrastructure.

This administrative push aims to resolve long-standing logistical nightmares that plague both the local citizenry and government officials within the massive Kharagpur subdivision. Currently, residents from far-flung border blocks like Mohanpur and Dantan must travel up to 100 kilometers to Kharagpur for routine administrative tasks, incurring heavy costs and severe delays. The vast geographical spread similarly hampers officials during natural disasters or emergencies, making prompt intervention across the current 10-block jurisdiction nearly impossible. To address these systemic pressures, the administration also plans to name the newly proposed block 'Hemchandra' to honor the legendary local freedom fighter Hemchandra Kanungo.

Physical inspections of potential land sites for the new sub-divisional offices, municipal boundaries, and bifurcated block headquarters were conducted on Wednesday to finalize the blueprint. BJP MLA Ramaprasad Giri and District Magistrate Bijin Krishna jointly led the field visit to evaluate local infrastructure, including schools, colleges, and super-specialty hospitals. Highlighting the roadmap ahead, Giri stated that everything will be sent to the state government in a structured proposal for step-by-step implementation. Affirming the development, District Magistrate Krishna added, "A proposal will be sent to create a new sub-division, and that is why the area is being inspected."