The Siliguri Municipal Corporation has decided to rename the Naukaghat More, a prominent crossing in the city, in memory of Thakur Panchanan Barma, the most revered statesman of the Rajbanshi community.

Mayor Gautam Deb said on Friday that a proposal would be sent to the state government to rename the crossing.

“We have decided to rename Naukaghat More in the name of Thakur Panchanan Barma as a mark of respect to him,” said Deb, while attending the 160th birth anniversary celebration of Barma.

Panchanan Barma was an educationist and a social reformer. There is a statue of him at Naukaghat More.

On Friday, the mayor unveiled another statue of Barma in Leusipokhri, on the outskirts of Siliguri. The statue has been installed by the Darjeeling district committee of the Rajbanshi Kshatriya Samiti.

Sources said the proposal to rename the Naukaghat More would be initially sent to the street naming committee of the SMC which comprises social workers, thespians and representatives of cultural organisations.

“Once the committee approves the recommendation, the proposal will be sent to the state government for final approval,” said a source.

Such an initiative by the Trinamool-run civic board is being seen as yet another step by the party to draw the support of Rajbanshi voters.

In north Bengal, votes of the Rajbanshi community decide the election results of around half of the 54 Assembly constituencies.

“The entire Rajbanshi community has huge respect and sentiments for Panchanan Barma. Earlier, the state named a university in his name in Cooch Behar and also took the initiative to build a second campus of the varsity at his native village. Also, a state holiday has been declared on his birth anniversary,” said a political observer.

“Now the civic board here has come up with this proposal. It is evident that TMC is consistently putting impetus to draw the support of Rajbanshis,” he added.