Bista writes to CM over inordinate delay in granting approval for Siliguri Ring Road project

GANGTOK, : Darjeeling MP Raju Bista on Monday reached out to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, drawing her attention to the repeated and needless delay by the West Bengal government in granting approval for the consent to Alignment of Ring Road around Siliguri.

In a media statement, the Darjeeling MP said he reminded that Siliguri is not only the second largest city in West Bengal, but also one of the fastest-growing urban conglomerates in India.

“However, despite its growing importance and potential, Siliguri continues to face severe congestion due to the lack of well-planned infrastructure. The city’s traffic situation has worsened, with massive traffic jams stretching for hours every day. This situation is not only inconvenient, but also causes immense hardship to the people, especially students and patients who are often delayed due to this traffic gridlock,” said Bista.

Bista shared that the region’s potential for economic growth, trade, and commerce is being stunted due to these infrastructural limitations.

“This is why, after careful consideration, I had requested for the construction of a Ring Road around Siliguri. A Ring Road would alleviate the daily traffic congestion, improve transportation, and pave the way for smoother travel within the city and across the entire region. This will further help in decongesting Siliguri city, as the city will spread and can be developed in a planned way.”

“This development is also essential for fostering better infrastructure for citizens and businesses alike. Having proper roads in and around Siliguri will go a long way in helping to smoothen traffic flow coming from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim, Dooars, Jalpaiguri and the rest of North Bengal and North East India passing through Siliguri,” said the Darjeeling MP.

According to Bista, the Central government has already allocated Rs 3,500 crore towards this crucial project. However, despite the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, officially reaching out to the West Bengal Government for consent on the Ring Road alignment on November 4, 2023, and even following up with a reminder on December 19, 2024, there has been no approval from the State government thus far, he claimed.

“These delays have not only created a bottleneck in Siliguri’s growth but also inconvenienced countless residents in our Siliguri, the Darjeeling Hills, Terai, and Dooars regions. Every delay further deprives our people of the world-class infrastructure they rightfully deserve.”

Therefore, I have humbly requested the Chief Minister’s kind intervention to expedite the approval process, so that the Siliguri Ring Road project can move forward without any further hindrance, said Bista, asserting that this project will benefit not only Siliguri but the entire region, providing much-needed relief to the people and enhancing the local economic prospects.