Bilaspur is a city in Bilaspur District in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, situated 133 km (83 miles) north of the state capital, Naya Raipur. It's divided by the winding Arpa River. The nearby villages of Ratanpur and Malhar are known for their ancient, intricately carved Hindu temples. To the north, Khutaghat Dam is framed by hills. Various archeological sites and temples in Bilaspur attract tourists from all over the world. Achanakmar Wildlife sanctuary is one of the renowned ecotourism spots in Chhattisgarh. Northwest of the city, Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary is a tiger reserve. It's bamboo and teak forests are also home to leopards, flying squirrels and wild dogs.
This city is the commercial center and business hub of North East Chhattisgarh region. It is also an important city for the Indian Railways, as it is the headquarters for South East Central Railway Zone and the Bilaspur Railway Division. Bilaspur is 3rd cleanest and 4th longest railway station in India. Approximately 20% of the total earnings of Indian railways come from South East Central Railway. Bilaspur is also the headquarters of South Eastern Coalfields Limited.
Bilaspur is known for its aromatic rice variety named Doobraj rice, handloom woven colourful soft Kosa silk saris. It is well known for its rich, varied and colorful culture.
Bilaspur has developed as a centre of education for Chhattisgarh with students from all over the state coming to Bilaspur to study engineering, medical and administrative officers' competitive exams. Along with the older schools, which provided excellent education, many new schools make Bilaspur the center for excellent school education, too.
Connectivity
Bilaspur railway station is a regional hub for the railway system. It is the busiest junction of Chhattisgarh and second busiest of central India after Itarsi . It is 3rd cleanest Railway Station in India after Surat and Rajkot.
The nearest commercial airport is the (Swami Vivekananda Airport Raipur), approximately 131 km away. At that airport, Indigo, Jet Airways and Air India have regular flights to/ from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Goa, Nagpur, Kochi, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Patna, Bhopal and Visakhapatnam.
Bilaspur also has an airport at Chakarbhatta for VIP and military operations (Bilaspur Airport). This is set to be Chhattisgarh's second commercial airport and will be jointly operated by the AAI and the Indian Army. It will be a domestic airport. It is expected to start in 2017.