Location

Katras is located at 23.8°N 86.28°E / 23.8; 86.28.^[1] It has an average elevation of 201 metres (659 feet).

Note: The map alongside presents some of the notable locations in the area. All places marked in the map are linked in the larger full screen map.

The earlier census town was combined with other urban units to form Dhanbad Municipal Corporation in 2006.^[2][3]

Katras is part of Ward No. 1 of Dhanbad Municipal Corporation.^[4]

The region

The region shown in the map is a part of the undulating uplands bustling with coalmines. The Damodar River, the most important river of the Chota Nagpur Plateau, flows along the southern border. The area beyond the Damodar was once a part of Dhanbad district but was transferred to Bokaro district in 2001. The bulk of the area shown in the map is part of Baghmara community development block. In the Baghmara CD block 67% of the population lives in rural areas and 33% in urban areas. The block has 18 census towns, all marked in the map, except Rajganj, which is shown in the map for the northern portion of the district. A portion of Dhanbad Municipal Corporation extends into the region till around Katras. The places in the DMC area are marked as neighbourhoods. Most of the DMC area is shown in the maps for the central and southern portions of the district. Four operational areas of BCCL operate fully within the region – Katras Area, Govindpur Area, Barora Area and Block II Area. The Mahuda sector of Western Jharia Area also operates in the region.^[5][6][7]

Civic administration

Katras was established as a notified area in the Dhanbad district along with Jharia, Chatatand, and Sindri. In 2006, the notified areas were merged into the district under the jurisdiction of the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC).^[9] It is allocated to the Baghmara development block of the district and has its own police station.^[10][11]