The foundation stone of the Mahakal Temple near Siliguri will be laid on January 16, mayor Gautam Deb confirmed on Monday after a preparatory meeting with Darjeeling district administration officials in the subdivisional officer's office here.
Although chief minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit north Bengal around the same time, the mayor refused to confirm whether she would lay the foundation stone herself.
“The foundation of the Mahakal Temple will be laid on January 16. The chief minister is supposed to be in north Bengal during that period. I cannot elaborate on the details of her visit at this moment,” Deb told journalists when he was asked about her participation in the event.
Administrative sources, however, said that Mamata would lay the foundation stone.
In October, she had announced the ambitious temple project. Spread across 17 acres, the temple complex will be managed by a trust formed by the state government.
According to the Siliguri mayor, the Mahakal Temple will be among the largest Hindu shrines in the country and is expected to become a major landmark near Siliguri. “It will be one of the biggest temples in the country. Once completed, it will open a new avenue for religious tourism in Siliguri and provide a significant boost to the local economy and surrounding areas,” Deb said.
The West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HIDCO) is overseeing the execution of the project in coordination with the district administration and the state public works department (PWD).
The mayor had already inspected the project site along with officials from HIDCO, the district administration, and other departments concerned. The land earmarked for the temple was previously barren. The Siliguri Municipal Corporation has cleared large quantities of waste from the site.
An official source said once the remaining weeds and garbage were completely removed, the project area would be further expanded.
“It is expected that a large number of people from Siliguri and other districts of north Bengal will gather on January 16 during the foundation-laying ceremony. Arrangements have been made to accommodate around 10,000 people. LED screens and a public address system will also be installed for the convenience of the public,” the source added.