Following directives from chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) today distributed financial aid to traders affected by the devastating fire at Bidhan Market on 28 September.

The blaze caused significant losses, with 22 shops damaged, including six that were completely destroyed.

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Chief minister Banerjee had previously announced financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh for fully-damaged shops and Rs 50,000 for those partially affected by the fire. She also instructed SMC mayor Goutam Deb to oversee the reconstruction of the gutted shops.

In a meeting held at the SMC today, mayor Deb handed over the financial assistance to the affected traders via cheques and discussed their immediate needs ahead of Durga Puja, aiming to help them restart their businesses before the festive season.

It is noteworthy that after CM Banerjee’s visit to Uttarkanya on 29 September for an administrative meeting on flood-affected areas, power minister Aroop Biswas and mayor Deb visited Bidhan Market to assess the damage and interact with the victims.

“The SMC will reconstruct at least five shops based on the traders’ current requirements, and we will continue to support those with partially damaged shops,” mayor Deb said. He also mentioned discussing the issue of a standby fire engine with fire brigade officials to ensure quicker responses to future incidents.

“We are committed to the traders of Bidhan Market and its development, following the chief minister’s instructions,” he added.