Traffic congestion has quietly turned into a daily ordeal in Siliguri, exposing a deeper urban crisis –too many vehicles and too little space. With roads choking and footpaths doubling as parking bays, the city’s traffic police are now left issuing advisories almost every day, appealing to commuters for cooperation as congestion and chaos become the new normal.
The explosive growth in the number of two-wheelers, e-rickshaws and four-wheelers, coupled with the absence of organised parking facilities, has significantly worsened the situation. Across Siliguri, vehicles are routinely parked along roadsides, narrowing carriageways and triggering frequent traffic snarls. What was once a temporary adjustment has now become a permanent problem.
Even as flyovers rise over the city in the name of decongestion, the irony is hard to miss. Several sections beneath these structures, particularly along ongoing projects, remain unused. Local residents and commuters have been demanding that these vacant basements and spaces under flyovers be converted into organised parking zones to ease pressure on the streets.
Reflecting these concerns, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has written to Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari, seeking his intervention to utilise the free space beneath the under-construction Balason–Sevoke Elevated Highway Corridor for parking purposes.
“Siliguri is among the fastest-growing urban centres in India, but rapid expansion has resulted in an acute shortage of parking space,” Mr Bista wrote, pointing out that the centrally funded flyover project is nearing completion. Citing the example of Guwahati, where areas beneath flyovers have been successfully converted into organised parking facilities, he suggested that a similar model in Siliguri could not only ease congestion but also generate additional revenue for local municipal bodies.
“The systematic utilisation of these currently unused spaces beneath flyovers can help address Siliguri’s growing parking shortage,” Mr Bista added, expressing hope that the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and the mayor would also consider similar use of space under the Bardhaman Road flyover.
On the ground, however, the immediate picture remains grim. On Monday, the Siliguri Traffic Police issued a comprehensive advisory, warning commuters of slow-moving traffic, diversions and restrictions across several key routes due to construction work, public events and processions. Citizens were advised to start early, allow extra travel time and drive cautiously.
According to the advisory, Darjeeling More Crossing is witnessing severe congestion due to ongoing development work, while Kachari Road near Hawkers’ Corner More has been reduced to a single lane because of box culvert installation. Repair and improvement work along NH-10 from Siliguri Gate to Champasari More, as well as at Salugura, has further slowed traffic flow.
The closure of the Sahudangi–Ambari Link Bridge at Canal More for new bridge construction has forced commuters to take longer detours via Nawapara More, adding to the pressure on already crowded roads.
Public events have compounded the problem. A work procession towards Suryasan Park caused traffic snarls on Nabin Sen Road, while the ongoing West Bengal State Handicrafts Mela 2025 at Biswa Bangla Shilpi Haat, Kawakhali, has led to slow-moving traffic during evening hours. Weekly markets at Salugura, Fulbari, Ambari and Kestopur in Bagdogra have further stretched traffic management.
To manage the chaos, traffic police have issued multiple route diversions, including directing vehicles from Bagdogra Airport and NJP Station to hill destinations via Noukaghat–Kawakhali–Khaprail More, and advising goods vehicles from Sikkim and Kalimpong to use the Eastern Bypass instead of entering congested town areas.
As Siliguri races towards becoming a major urban hub, the crisis underscores a pressing question: Can infrastructure growth keep pace with planning, or will the city continue to crawl under the weight of its own traffic? For now, commuters are left navigating not just roads, but the consequences of delayed urban foresight.