Delineation of influence of functional region of Siliguri Metropolitan Area (SMA) using gravity model (Breaking point analysis): Case study of North Bengal in India

Abstract

Service centres does not existed independently at all and all internal exchanges of goods and services of human societies are depend on inter linkages with other geographical units which developed through network system of connected nodes. There are some important linkages inside network system of any functional region of different sectors which are associated to each other, but the intensity of inter linkages relationship is not same. However, Siliguri Metropolitan Area is considered as a big network of functional regional of North Bengal, where more than 50 small and big national and international urban centres are surrounded and have interrelations with it. The study focused on functional boundary of Siliguri Metropolitan Area (SMA) with its adjacent cities which have been ascertained on Gravity model concept (Breaking point analysis) by considering relevant units of variables. The discussions and results suggests that the gravitation power of Siliguri Metropolitan Area (SMA) is comparatively higher around North Bengal, North-Eastern state, Sikkim and Eastern part of Bihar than other functional region.