The Urban History of Darjeeling Municipality: Then and Now

Abstract Darjeeling Municipality is the local governing body responsible for the civic administration of the town of Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. It was established in 1850, making it one of the oldest municipalities in West Bengal and one of the oldest city administrative bodies in India. It was initially governed by nominated Commissioners until 1916, then elected until 1932, a nominated again until 1947. After India’s independence, the Commissioners continued to be appointed until 1964, when the first election was held. The present paper make a study in historicizing the urbanization process of Darjeeling Municipality. Analysing the impact of urbanization on society and identifying the constraints of economic development due to urbanization. Key words: Darjeeling Municipality, Administration, Urbanization, Economic Development.