The Trinamool Congress–run Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) inaugurated a new building and a modern conference hall on Tuesday to commemorate the platinum jubilee of the civic body.
Gautam Deb, the mayor, formally inaugurated the new infrastructure.
Speaking after the ceremony, Deb said that the newly constructed five-storey building covers approximately 25,000 square feet.
Built at an estimated cost of ₹15 crore, it houses a spacious conference hall with a seating capacity of nearly 150 people. The construction took nearly two years
to complete.
Deb, who assumed office on February 22, 2022, mentioned that this is one of the major development initiatives undertaken by the current civic board.
“The new facility includes a dedicated media centre, cafeteria space, separate office areas for various civic departments and a lounge for councillors. It is connected to the existing administrative building through a gangway,” the mayor said.
“We are also planning to develop a repertoire in the old building, showcasing historical photographs of the city and portraits of eminent personalities, including former heads of the civic body,” he added.
On Tuesday, the new conference hall hosted the 47th monthly meeting of the board of councillors. Amit Jain, the leader of the opposition, raised concerns about conservancy work and the indiscriminate disposal of waste by a section of residents in various areas of the city.
“It has come to our notice that some people are dumping garbage in an unscientific and indiscriminate manner, causing inconvenience to conservancy workers. We urge the civic board to take stringent action against such offenders in accordance with civic bylaws,” said Jain, a BJP councillor.
Manik Dey, a member of the mayor-in-council (Conservancy), responded that the bylaws have been prepared in accordance with the guidelines of the state urban development agency and have been submitted for necessary approval.
“As of now, SMC is currently collecting conservancy fees amounting to around ₹30 lakh per month, which is significantly higher compared to the ₹7 lakh that were collected in a month during the previous Left front–led civic board,” said Dey.