SJDA chairman meets mayor on area development

Newly-appointed chairman of the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA), Dilip Duggar, held a high-level meeting on Wednesday with Siliguri mayor Goutam Deb and senior officials to discuss a range of developmental issues, with particular emphasis on easing traffic congestion in central Siliguri in view of the upcoming Assembly elections.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, Mr Duggar said he would travel to Kolkata on Thursday to meet with Urban Development and Municipal Affairs (UDMA) minister Firhad Hakim for further discussions on several key projects.

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He added that it was essential to first hold meetings with stakeholders—including municipal authorities in Jalpaiguri and Malbazar—to understand their development plans and ensure proper execution.

Mayor Goutam Deb, who jointly addressed the press with Mr Duggar, laid out a roadmap for systematic development of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMC&H). He also flagged the urgent need to decongest the Siliguri Junction area, particularly by shifting long-distance private buses operating near Hill Cart Road, adjacent to the Tenzing Norgay State Bus Terminal.

Despite the SMC constructing a new terminal at Tinbatti, near Uttarkanya, Mr Deb pointed out that private operators are yet to shift, and continue to run buses from the old site near Siliguri Court.

Mr Duggar announced that the state government has sanctioned Rs 2.48 crore to set up a new bus terminal at Bidhannagar, on Siliguri’s outskirts. Additionally, an existing truck terminal in the area will be developed using Rs 45 lakh from SJDA’s own funds. The goal is to provide designated space for long-distance buses, especially those plying to Bihar.

Mayor Deb further revealed that a 9-acre plot at Himul’s Cattle Feed area has been earmarked for another major bus terminal, which once operational, is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion in the SMC area.

Mr Duggar also stated that SJDA plans to convene another joint meeting to pursue a holistic development strategy for NBMC&H, involving coordination between the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad, Municipal Corporation, Police Commissionerate, and other relevant departments.

As chairman of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti of NBMC&H, mayor Deb informed that makeshift eateries inside the hospital campus—set up by locals—will be relocated in a systematic and scientific manner to a designated zone, keeping their livelihoods in mind. “Once relocated, no further eateries will be allowed within the campus,” he added.