Bhilai

Bhilai is a city in the Durg district of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It is one of the state's largest urban centers. The city grew around the Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), a major steel-producing facility established in 1955 with Soviet assistance. BSP is a unit of the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and historically shaped the town’s layout, housing, and infrastructure.

As a planned industrial city, Bhilai was designed to accommodate workers and their families, including residential colonies, schools, hospitals, and cultural facilities. The local economy remains dominated by BSP and its downstream industries, supplemented by services and small enterprises.

Geographically, Bhilai lies in eastern part of Chhattisgarh, near Raipur, and has road and rail connectivity to major cities in central India. The city is served by the Bhilai Nagar railway station, with regular services to destinations across the region. The nearest airport is Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur.

The population is diverse, with Hindi and Chhattisgarhi widely spoken. Bhilai hosts several educational institutions, including engineering and management colleges, such as the Bhilai Institute of Technology. The climate is tropical, with hot summers, a monsoon season, and mild winters.

Bhilai remains an important industrial and urban hub in Chhattisgarh, retaining its identity as a planned town built around one of India’s largest steel plants.