Siliguri, May 6: Rapid urbanisation witnessed in Matigara block in the past one decade because of its proximity to Siliguri has prompted the residents to demand municipal status for the area.

“From North Bengal University and the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) to Uttorayon township and the North Bengal Frontier headquarters of the BSF, all are located in Matigara block,” said Tanmoy Goswami, a resident of Shivmandir in Matigara.

“Over the past 10-15 years, Matigara has witnessed many development activities as the block is adjacent to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation. Naturally, the population has increased, but we are still living in panchayats. It is unjustified and we want the state government — particularly when the urban development minister (Asok Bhattacharya) is from Siliguri — to upgrade certain areas of the block into a municipality,” said Goswami.

The block has also the North Bengal Science Centre, Savin Kingdom — an entertainment park — Paribahan Nagar, where several state and central government offices are located and the electronic manufacturing unit of Videocon, besides top schools, offices of the state secondary education board and the higher secondary council, Himul plant and the Himanchal Bihar, a composite residential area (see chart).

“A government science college and a small industrial park are also coming up at Matigara. Shivmandir hosts many government offices and the Uttorayon township is expanding fast. Although our place caters for several needs of Siliguri and its surroundings, it is still a panchayat,” said Amlan Chakraborty, a resident of Susrutanagar, where the NBMCH is situated.

Rajesh Ojha, another Matigara resident, said forming a municipality comprising Uttorayon, Dagapur, Himanchal Bihar, Matigara, Shivmandir and Susrutanagar would ensure better services to the people. “Although we live in an urbanised locality, we are deprived of civic services unlike Siliguri and have to bank on panchayats,” added Ojha.

The Matigara block is spread over five panchayats, covering an area of 128.09sqkm. According to the 2001 census, the population in the block was 1,19,408 and the growth witnessed in the previous decade was 40.90 per cent against the state’s 17.84 per cent. Many think that the recorded number of people will go up once the ongoing census is completed and the data collected are collated and published.

Asked about the Matigara residents’ demand, minister Bhattacharya said: “We are aware of the block’s growth and the state government is thinking about its upgrade into a municipality.”