The civic and rural bodies, along with the administration and the police sprang into action in Siliguri – the largest urban hub in north Bengal – and its surroundings on Wednesday to clear encroachments, free government land and amend other irregularities.
The move follows an admonishment by chief minister Mamata Banerjee. On Monday, Mamata, while speaking at an administrative meeting in Nabanna with officials, ministers, and heads of civic bodies of the state, had trained guns at the Trinamool-run Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) and the police.
SMC, the largest urban local body of north Bengal, is the worst performer in terms of drinking water supply and housing, Mamata had said, while underscoring that land mafias are gathering strength in and around the city and even grabbing government land.
“Gautam (Deb), you can’t evade your responsibility,” the chief minister had said, addressing the mayor of Siliguri.
Today, on one hand, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police, along with SMC and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad (SMP) launched an eviction drive.
On the other hand, Deb, along with other elected representatives of SMC, held back-to-back meetings to draw up plans to address a slew of issues pertaining to the city.
After the meeting, he said that they have chalked out plans to create enough space for hassle-free movement of residents and those visiting the city.
As per the plan, it has been decided to clear encroachments from the footpaths of all prominent thoroughfares of Siliguri. Among these include Hill Cart Road, Burdwan Road, Sevoke Road, Bidhan Road and Kutcheri Road.
“It will provide space for pedestrians to move, who now walk along the road. It will also ease traffic movement through these roads and streets,” said a source.
The mayor, who held meetings with the member, mayor-in-council (MMICs) and the civic officials, said they have got specific guidelines from the chief minister to improve the civic services.
“We will implement those so that residents get better services from our end. Unauthorized occupants will be removed from all the prominent streets and spots of the city,” said Deb.
The civic body has also decided to restrict the movement of e-rickshaws on all the prominent roads for improvement of vehicular movement as in Siliguri traffic congestion is a major problem. Also, SMC will expedite the process of installing the second intake well at the water treatment plant in association with the state PHE department to supply more drinking water across the city.
At the meeting, the mayor also underscored that steps would be taken to bust rackets which are encroaching on land and properties and also making illegal constructions.
Police clear a foot path in Siliguri on Wednesday. Picture by Passang Yolmo
“We have to bust these rackets in association with the administration and the police,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police reached Bidhan Road and near the City Centre in Matigara today to clear encroachments.
Around 40-odd shanties were removed in Matigara. The vendors and shop owners were told to abstain from re-occupying the spot.
Arun Ghosh, the sabhadhipati of SMP, went to Kharibari block and inspected government land which was encroached. He was accompanied by the BDO and other members of the rural body. “We are identifying the government plots which have been illegally occupied. The local panchayats will take control of such land and clear the encroachers, along with state government departments.”
In Siliguri, Preeti Goyal, the district magistrate of Darjeeling, held a meeting with officials of the district land and land reforms department to expedite the restoration process of government plots, sources said.
