Raju Bista, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, sent a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday, seeking the state government’s approval for the alignment of the proposed ring road around Siliguri.
The MP has been emphasising for the past few years the proposal to build a ring road around Siliguri, the largest urban hub in north Bengal and the gateway to the Northeast, to ease traffic congestion in and around the city.
“The proposed ring road will alleviate the daily traffic congestion, improve transportation and pave the way for smoother travel within the city and across the entire region. This will further help in decongesting Siliguri, as the city will spread and can be developed in a planned way,” said Bista.
Based on his proposal, Bista said, the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) approved the project and allocated ₹3,500 crore.
“The ministry officially reached out to the Bengal government for its consent for the alignment of the ring road on November 4, 2023, and sent a reminder on December 19, 2024. However, the state government hasn’t yet given its consent. That is why I have sent the letter to the chief minister,” the MP added.
The letter from Bista, when less than a year is left for the Assembly elections, assumes significance. This is because the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has taken up many major infrastructural projects in and around Siliguri, a city which is a part of the “Chicken’s Neck” or the Siliguri Corridor, the slimmest part which connects the mainland with the Northeast.
Among the projects are the expansion of the Bagdogra airport, the infrastructural development of the New Jalpaiguri railway station, an elevated corridor along NH10 that passes through the north of the city, and the Gorakhpur-Siliguri highway.
“It is evident that the MP wants to drive home the point that infrastructural projects could not be taken up by the Centre in and around Siliguri because of the delay from the state’s side,” said a political observer.
In Siliguri, traffic congestion is a major issue. People living in and around the city, and also those coming here on different errands, had to bear the brunt of it, especially during rush hours.
A senior Trinamool leader, when asked about the MP’s letter, said the state always extended cooperation for the development of infrastructure.
“The state consented to the four-lane highways and arranged the land. Also, the state government provided land for the airport’s expansion. Veiled strategies of the BJP will not work here,” he said.
Loco shed expansion
The railway board has allocated ₹129.41 crore for the upgrade and expansion of the diesel loco shed at the Siliguri Junction railway station.
In a letter issued by the director (project and development) of the board to the general manager of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) on Monday, it was mentioned that the shed would be expanded to maintain 250 locomotives.
As of now, the shed can maintain around 100 locos.
“The upgrade will significantly increase the shed’s capacity and support both freight and passenger services in the NFR zone,” said Bista, the Darjeeling MP.
