Goutam Deb turns civic programme into campaign pitch

With Assembly elections on the horizon, Goutam Deb appears to have informally set the tone for his campaign ~ using governance as his central pitch.

The Siliguri Mayor, who has expressed his desire to contest from the Siliguri Assembly constituency, on Sunday blended administration with political messaging while marking the fourth anniversary of the current board of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation.

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In a calculated outreach, Mr Deb released a video message on social media in the morning, highlighting the civic body’s achievements ~ particularly its flagship drinking water project. Later in the day, the civic body organised its annual general meeting at Dinabandhu Mancha, where citizens, stakeholders and dignitaries, including Padma Shri awardee Prof. MN Roy, were present.

Framing development as the core of his political narrative, Mr Deb said that since assuming charge in 2022, the board has prioritised a permanent solution to Siliguri’s chronic water crisis. He underscored that a Rs 511-crore water supply project, taken up with state government support, is progressing rapidly, with nearly 70 per cent of the first phase already completed.

Seeking to reinforce administrative credibility ahead of the polls, he added that expert agencies have expressed satisfaction over the pace of work, prompting the state government to approve an additional Rs 300 crore for the second phase.

“At present, Siliguri receives around 55 million litres of water daily. Once completed, the project will enhance supply to 139 million litres per day,” Mr Deb said, projecting the scheme as a long-term solution to the city’s growing demand.

He also outlined the technical roadmap ~ drawing water from Gajoldoba through a 28-kilometre pipeline, storing it in a new reservoir, and distributing it via 13 overhead tanks across the city.

Political observers view the messaging as a subtle but clear attempt to foreground governance and infrastructure delivery as key electoral issues. With opposition parties expected to question delays and implementation gaps, Mr Deb’s emphasis on progress and future capacity signals the ruling camp’s strategy to anchor its campaign around development.

Calling for public patience, the Mayor said large infrastructure projects require time but assured that the “dream project” would soon benefit every household in Siliguri ~ an assurance that may well echo through the campaign trail in the coming months.