TRAFFIC CONGESTION IS POLITICAL TALKING POINT Darjeeling More remembered

AVIJIT SINHA, TT,  03 Jul 2019, Siliguri: The severe traffic congestion at Darjeeling More, the main point of entry and exit in Siliguri in its northwest end, has prompted elected representatives and state ministers to demand allocation of funds by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for construction of flyovers and widening of National Highway-31 to decongest the area.

Asok Bhattacharya, the local MLA and mayor of the city, has decided to write to the state so that it approaches the central government with the proposal. Tapash Sarkar, the Sabhadhipati of Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad, has written to Raju Bista, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, to take up the matter with the government.

"There is traffic congestion in Darjeeling More from 8am to 9pm every day. Most of the times, vehicles move at a snail's speed and it takes several minutes to cross the More. We have written to the MP, who had spoken about development of Siliguri and surrounding areas during his poll campaign, to see that the central government approves the project and allots funds. We feel he should bring it to the notice of prominent members of the Union cabinet, including the finance minister," Sarkar said.

The demand comes just ahead of the Union budget, which would be tabled on July 5.

6The mayor said he would request the state to take the initiative of improving road infrastructure in Siliguri.

"We need more flyovers and wide roads in and around Siliguri. The number of vehicles is steadily increasing here and more and more vehicles are entering the city everyday. Considering the importance of Siliguri, that is gateway to the Northeast, the state should speak with the Centre and get funds for infrastructure projects. I have time and again mentioned these issues and will write to state ministers," Bhattacharya said.

Like the mayor, state tourism minister Gautam Deb, who is also from Siliguri, and his cabinet colleague Rabindranath Ghosh, the north Bengal development minister, are also vocal on the issue.

Since 2011, after the Trinamul Congress came to power, the city has seen construction of Asian Highway-II on its outskirts. The state has taken up a project to build a flyover ­ the third in the city ­ at Burdwan Road to connect to Asian Highway.

Traffic congestion is one of the principal problems of Siliguri and every single resident regularly bears its brunt," a resident said.

He pointed that as the civic polls and the rural polls (three-tier elections to the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad) will be due on next year, political representatives are trying to focus on the issue to consolidate their support base.

"The BJP has made big Raju Bista gains across the Siliguri subdivision, whether in rural areas or in wards of the city. In local polls, such issues matter," he added Bista, who is in Delhi, could not be contacted. One his party leaders in Siliguri said: We are aware of the problem and also have information that the central government is mulling a project to facilitate the smooth movement of traffic through Darjeeling More.".