Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday took Alipurduar residents by surprise by taking a stroll in the town during which she interacted with children and others and ordered the repair of a road leading to the local university, continuing her outreach in north Bengal.

Mamata landed at the Parade Ground here in a chopper from Bagdogra and proceeded towards the circuit house. Since 2014, when she announced Alipurduar as a separate district, this is the first time the chief minister is staying in the district headquarters.

After spending a little time at the circuit house, the chief minister stepped out for a walk in the afternoon. Hundreds gathered on the roadside to catch a glimpse of her or to click photos and shoot videos.

Basudeb Biswas, who was sipping tea at a stall in College Halt, a busy locality, said he was caught by surprise.

“Suddenly, I saw people hurrying down the road. I came out of the stall and was surprised to see the chief minister. It was a first-of-its-kind experience. I have never seen any chief minister walking in the streets so freely. She greeted us with a smile,” Biswas said.

Ratan Das, a shopkeeper, was equally taken aback. “All of a sudden, people began rushing towards the road. I felt curious and came out. Seeing the chief minister from such close quarters was something I had never dreamt of. She spoke with some people and greeted others. It was a unique gesture, rarely seen among politicians these days,” Das said.

After reaching College Halt, Mamata took the Buxa Feeder Road, the principal thoroughfare of the town, prompting more and more people to throng the streets.

When the chief minister was near Dooars Kanya, the district collectorate, she spotted a physically challenged man who had stumbled on the road. Her security personnel rushed to help him get back on his feet.

Mamata, too, walked up to him and asked whether he had a Swasthya Sathi (state-run health insurance scheme) card. As the man nodded, she asked him to visit the district hospital. “You visit the hospital. If needed, we will arrange for your treatment in Calcutta,” the chief minister said.

She then interacted with children on the road. While heading towards Alipurduar University, Mamata found that the road was in a dilapidated condition. She asked the district magistrate and the local councillor to take steps for the immediate repair of the road.

After walking for around 2km, the chief minister returned to the circuit house.

On Sunday, Mamata will attend a public service distribution programme at the
Parade Ground. She will also inaugurate a number of projects and lay the foundation stones of some others, sources said.

Mamata, who is on a seven-day tour of north Bengal, has been reaching out to residents. During her stay in Kurseong, she visited the Makaibari tea estate on Friday and plucked tea leaves with women workers.

She spoke with them while sipping Darjeeling tea, distributed woollens among locals and appreciated local dance troupes for their performance.