The All India Radio station in Siliguri. A Telegraph picture

Siliguri, March 29: Siliguri air waves will shortly witness an onslaught of sorts with at least four private FM radio channels lined up to be launched soon.

In the fray are not only big names like Sun TV-controlled South Asia FM, but also first timers like the local PCM Group, Syntech Infomatics from Calcutta and Chinar Circuits, reportedly started by a Siliguri-based entrepreneur.

“We plan to launch our channel by the second week of April,” said G. Pradhan, executive director, marketing, PCM Group.

PCM has named its channel Radio Mishti. “It will be an out-and-out youth channel and the programmes will have regional content,” Pradhan said. “Given the competition that we will face in a few days, we plan to present something that will be unique. Regional content with liberal doses of folk culture will be one. Besides pre-recorded music, we will also arrange for live interviews and chat programmes.”

Close on the heels Syntech Infomatics will come up with its Hi 92.7 FM channel in June first week. “It will be a channel for all,” said Milan Chakraborty, the managing director of the company. “From 10 to 70-year-olds — it will have something for everybody.”

Construction of studios on the Second Mile campus of the All India Radio is on in full swing. Both Mishti and Hi have already recruited their staff and radio jockeys.

To have an edge over the others, Hi has decided on an additional studio in Calcutta. “We cannot bring celebrities to Siliguri for interviews. A studio there will solve the problem,” Chakraborty said.

“The new channels have been approved as part of Phase-II expansion plans of the AIR,” said R.N. Choudhury, superintending engineer, AIR, Siliguri. “They have tied up with the AIR as part of our resource generation activity.”