Bhattacharya at the SJDA meeting. A Telegraph picture

Siliguri, March 27: Bridges, roads, shopping complexes, car parks and swimming pools will soon dot the twin towns of Siliguri and Jalpaiguri, the funds for which were allocated today at the budget meeting of the SJDA.

The existing Hawkers’ Corner and Nivedita Market in Siliguri will be dismantled and built afresh with modern amenities. New shopping complexes will be constructed at Bidhan Market and on Hill Cart Road in Siliguri and at the Railway Station Market and Dinbazar in Jalpaiguri, said Asok Bhattacharya, the chairman of the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority or the SJDA, at the end of the meeting.

The SJDA will spend Rs 57 crore in 2008-09. The amount is Rs 20 crore more than the agency had spent last year.

“Funds have also been allocated for peri-urban development under which projects will be taken up in rural areas adjoining the towns,” said Bhattacharya, who is also the Bengal urban development minister.

The “peri-urban” projects include bridges, car parks, roads, self-help group training centres, haats (markets) and sports facilities like swimming pools. “We will buy land directly from the owners,” Bhattacharya said.

The minister said discussions were held in Calcutta two days ago on the tea park coming up near New Jalpaiguri. “The park, which will be a joint venture of the Tea Board, West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation and the SJDA, will have 50 per cent equity from private partners through competitive bidding.”

A global tender would be floated for this public-private park. “A Dubai-based company has shown interest in the venture,” Bhattacharya said, confirming an announcement made by chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee last year.

Expressions of interest have also been sought for the setting up of a dry port near Fulbari. The SJDA chairman said foundation stones for two new IT parks at Paribahan Nagar near Siliguri would be laid on April 5.