Siliguri Mayor alleges Railways delaying ROB handover ahead of elections

Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb on Tuesday alleged that Railway officials are reluctant to hand over the road overbridge (ROB) to the state government before the Assembly elections.

Addressing reporters here, Mr Deb said that his officials have held several rounds of talks with railway authorities, urging them to complete their portion of the work. He pointed out that the state Public Works Department (PWD) has almost completed the construction of the flyover on both sides of the ROB along Bardhaman Road.

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It may be noted that the Mayor has been keen to inaugurate the flyover ~ conceived and initiated during his tenure ~ before the Assembly elections, describing it as a major gift to the people of Siliguri.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Siliguri Municipal Corporation officials on Tuesday, Mr Deb said: “Despite several reminders, the railway authorities have agreed to hand over the ROB by 31 March. If the work progresses in the right direction, I believe it may be handed over in the last week of March or the first week of April. I hope the railways will not halt work if the Election Commission of India issues the notification for the Assembly elections.”

“In fact, the railways do not want to hand it over to us before the elections,” he added.

Outlining future plans, Mr Deb said that once the PWD completes its work, the area beneath the flyover will be cleared and developed for car parking. The market that was shifted during construction will also be rehabilitated under the structure. Additionally, engineers and traffic officials will conduct a joint survey to plan traffic management and office spaces.

“We have decided to stop the final painting of the flyover for now. Once the railways hand over the ROB after two months, the final coat of paint will be done ahead of the inauguration,” the Mayor said.