Bhagalpur, historically known as Champa Nagri, is a city in the Indian state of Bihar, situated on the southern bank of the Ganges river. It is the third largest city of Bihar by population and also serves the headquarters of Bhagalpur district, Bhagalpur division & Eastern Range. It is known as the Silk City & also listed for development under the Smart Cities Mission by Government of India. It is the only district in Bihar after capital city Patna where three major higher educational institutions IIIT, TMBU & Agriculture University(BAU) are located and also Vikramshila Central University is under construction next to the ruins of ancient Vikramshila University. Bhagalpur Railway Station serves the city. The river around city is home to the Gangetic dolphin, the National Aquatic Animal of India, and the Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is established near the town. The city holds the largest Manasa Puja and one of the largest processions in Kali Puja, an intangible cultural heritage of the region.

National Smart Cities Mission is an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India with the mission to develop smart cities across the country, making them citizen friendly and sustainable. The Union Ministry of Urban Development is responsible for implementing the mission in collaboration with the state governments of the respective cities. The mission was planned to include 100 cities, with the deadline for completion of the projects set between 2019 and 2023. As of September 2023, 6188 out of total 7960 tendered projects have been completed, utilizing ₹113,721 crores out of total tendered amount of ₹171,432 crore.