E-cars to be introduced at Mahakal Mandir

REZA PRADHAN

DARJEELING,: On her last day of her visit to the Hills, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday offered prayers at Mahakal Mandir near Chowrasta. She also announced a similar temple to be built in Siliguri.

Banerjee, who is here in North Bengal to visit the different landslide and flood hit areas, arrived in the hills on Monday evening after which she halted in Kurseong and came to Darjeeling the next day after visiting landslide hit areas in Mirik and Sukhiapokhri. She also held a review meeting at Darjeeling on Wednesday.

Today, before leaving Darjeeling, she was seen walking from Richmond Hill, where she had stayed, to Mahakal Mandir with other dignitaries and officials by her side.

Speaking to the press after praying at Mahakal Mandir she said, “Green electric cars will be introduced for the temple so that people who cannot walk can visit Mahakal Mandir easily. I have talked about it with the GTA chief Anit Thapa who will introduce it soon.”

She said that a Durga Mandir complex called Durga Angan was being made at Rajarhatt for which land had been identified and a tender floated for it.

“I have also asked the administration to identify a land at Siliguri where a convention centre will be made and near it, a temple like Mahakal Mandir. The government will provide land for it but will be made by a private party who is interested. However, some time will take for it, as there are other processes like creating a trust for it.”

She also requested tourists to come to the hills maintaining roads via Pankhabari and Hill Cart Road were functional.