About Surat

Surat, the second-largest city in Gujarat, is one of the fastest growing tier-II cities in India. It is also the administrative capital of the Surat district. Ranked among the largest urban agglomerations in India, the city is a hub for numerous sectors of economy, most notably the diamond, textile and silk industries. For this reason, Surat is also known as the Diamond City, Textile City and Silk City of India.

Besides diamond and textile units, the other major industries thriving in the city are information technology, education and healthcare.

Geographically, Surat lies on the banks of the Tapti River. It is surrounded by the Bharuch and Narmada districts in the north, the Navsari and Dang districts in the south and the Gulf of Cambay in the west. Surat experiences a tropical Savanna climate which is strongly influenced by the Arabian Sea.

The presence of a strong industrial sector in Surat invites an influx of migrants from across the country. Affordable prices, convenient public transport, serene ambience, excellent education facilities, great employment and self-employment potentials and entertainment facilities have contributed to Surat’s booming real estate market.

Stats and Facts

The population of Surat, as per the provisional reports of the 2011 Census, is 4,462,002. The urban/metropolitan population, on the other hand, is 4,585,367
As per the Census 2011 reports, Surat has a sex ratio of 758 per 1000 males. The child sex ratio is 813 per 1000 boys
The average literacy rate in the city is 89.03%
The city of Surat was previously known as Suryapur
Surat ranked 8th in India with a GDP of $40 billion in fiscal year 2011-2012
The city accounts for 90% of the world’s total rough diamond cutting and polishing and 99.99% of India’s total rough diamond cutting and polishing
The city of Surat ranks as the 3rd cleanest city in India
Diamond and Textile Industries

The city is known for its diamond and textile industries
Surat is the largest manufacturer of clothes in India. Apart from producing world-class synthetic textiles, Surat is also known for producing silk
The Federation of Surat Textile Traders Association (FOSTTA) is an association of textile processing units of the Surat Textile Market
Surat has become an important center for industrial growth in India. Reputed companies like Ultratech, ONGC, Reliance Petrochemicals, Torrent Power, and Shell have set up their manufacturing units here
Some of the important brands of India like Vimal and Garden have also set up manufacturing units in Surat
Connectivity

By air, Surat connects to major Indian cities like Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Amritsar. The Surat Airport is located just 11 km from the city and the recently constructed terminal can handle 240 passengers on an hourly basis
The city is connected to National Highway 8 through a 16-km connector highway. National Highway 6, also known as the Surat–Kolkata Highway, passes through the city and connects it to Dhule, Amravati, Nagpur, Raipur, Sambalpur, Kharagpur and Kolkata. Through the national and state highways, Surat is connected across India
Surat can be easily reached by rail as well. The Western Railway zone and the Central Railway zone connect Surat to the major cities in India
Surat Civic Administration

Considered to be one of the wealthiest municipal corporations in India, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) is responsible for maintaining the city’s civic infrastructure as well as carrying out associated administrative duties
The city has 7 administrative zones, which are North, South, East, West, Southeast, Southwest and Central
The corporation is responsible for the provision and upkeep of basic services like roads, water, and sewage
A Corporation Commissioner heads the executive wing of the corporation
There are 20 Police stations in the city, with a Commissioner heading the Police force
Surat Infrastructure

Though not a metropolitan, the city can give most metros in India a tough competition. The infrastructure of Surat centers on the textile industry, medical base, information technology, transportation, tourism, electricity, communication and education. The economy being primarily industrial in nature, the real estate infrastructure has also remained strong.

Education and healthcare services in Surat are also quite remarkable. The district has a whole array of schools, colleges and universities located here. The same can be said about the massive network of hospitals in this region. The city is also home to several heavy engineering plants.