The Trinamool Congress-run Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) will open the service roads and parking zones of the unfinished road overbridge (ROB) in Burdwan Road, one of the prominent thoroughfares in Siliguri, by next week, despite the main structure remaining incomplete.

Mayor Gautam Deb, who visited the site on Tuesday, said the SMC would open those facilities for the convenience of people.

“The railway authorities will not be able to complete their portion of the flyover before the end of March. That is why, after visiting the site today, we decided not to wait till then. The service roads on either side of the flyover will be made operational, and parking facilities at both ends (under the ROB) will be opened by next week,” he said.

In 2018, the state public works department (PWD) took up the project to build the 1.1km-long ROB over the railway tracks that connect Siliguri Town and Siliguri Junction stations. The project was, however, delayed because of several factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, which eventually escalated the project cost from ₹44.85 crore to ₹68.75 crore.

As part of the project, the railways have to construct a 51-metre-long stretch over the tracks.

“Last month, the mayor and officials of the state PWD had a meeting with the railway authorities. At the meeting, the railway officials had said that they would finish the work by March 31. However, keeping in mind the ensuing Assembly elections, the mayor doesn’t want to wait and decided to open the service roads and the parking zones,” said a political observer.

Deb also said that the PWD had finished its work and would undertake illumination and beautification of the ROB, barring the portion which the railways were yet to develop.

“The parking zones under the ROB will be able to accommodate over 100 four-wheelers and an equal number of two-wheelers. There will be proper illumination in these areas. We are in talks with a private firm to develop a play zone and park under the ROB,” he added.

Locality named

Mayor Deb also announced that a road adjacent to the SMC building in the city was named Amiya Sengupta Sarani. Sengupta was the first headmistress of Siliguri Girls’ High School. The SMC complex and its surrounding areas, including the Dinabandhu Mancha, were officially named as Corporation Para, he said.