The Siliguri Town railway station. Picture by Avijit Sarkar

Siliguri, April 27: Siliguri Town railway station will complete 125 years of its existence on June 10.

While railway authorities are upgrading and renovating the station to handle broad gauge traffic bound for Siliguri Junction and encourage local tourism, conservation experts feel these measures are not enough to improve the station, which has been witness to historic moments.

The Association for Conservation and Tourism (ACT), a non-government organisation working towards developing and conserving tourist spots, has chalked out a plan to beautify the station — a fitting birthday gift for the railway station.

Over the years, the station from where the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) was flagged off in 1881, has lost its significance. With no major train passing through it, the station has become a den for criminals and illegal encroachers. The authorities are removing them to renovate the station and for conversion of gauge from metre to broad gauge.

“The station marked the birth of Siliguri as we see it today. From childhood, we have been listening to tales of leaders like Netaji and Bagha Jatin’s stopover at the station. The station should be properly maintained to preserve the memories. People should not forget the history behind it,” said vice-president of ACT Supratim Basu.

On June 10, 1878, the Atrai-Jalpaiguri section of the Indian Railways was completed till Siliguri. This was of tremendous significance to the British — for whom Darjeeling was the summer capital and also for freedom fighters.

Rabindranath Tagore is said to have regularly boarded the Teesta Valley train, a narrow gauge train, which ran between Siliguri and Gail Khola near Kalimpong, to reach the Monngpong resort.

“Our plan is to develop the station as a tourist spot, for which, we are seeking the help of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, the railway department and the DHR Society,” said Basu, who is also the convenor of UNESCO DHR project.

The association’s first step is to spread awareness among the masses regarding the need to preserve the station. It is inviting residents of the town to write about their memories of the station. These will be compiled in the form of a booklet to be circulated among the residents of Siliguri, informing them about the station and its significance.

Plans are afoot to set up a museum at the station. ACT is on the lookout for collectibles related to the station, which can help in giving shape to the project, Basu said.

The proposed museum will also have archives, a restaurant housed in the old coaches of the DHR and also a DHR park. “It will not only serve as a point where the good old days come alive, but also be a place one can visit,” Basu said.

“We are preparing details of the proposal, which will be submitted to the SMC, railways and the DHR society,” Basu said.

“On May 17, there is an annual meeting of the DHR Society in London, where we want to raise the issue, so that they too can pursue it,” he added.