Residents of Siliguri can hope to get relief from traffic snarls at Burdwan Road, a prominent thoroughfare, by July 2024 as the state PWD has fixed a deadline of eight months to complete the work of the flyover and road widening.

A source in PWD said the estimated project cost of the flyover, now under construction, is around Rs 90 crore. The state government has sanctioned another Rs 10 crore for widening a 2km stretch of Burdwan Road that connects the central and southern parts of the city.

“The department will widen around 12 feet of the existing road on both sides of the divider between Jhankar More and Naukaghat More,” the source said.

On Wednesday, mayor Gautam Deb, along with his deputy Ranjan Sarkar and engineers of state PWD, visited the area to take stock of the progress.

He said the Siliguri Municipal Corporation sent a proposal to the state government, seeking funds to widen Burdwan Road and the Station Feeder Road. “The state has allotted Rs 10 crore and Rs 7 crore for widening these two roads. It will largely help ease traffic snarls in the southern part of the city,” said Deb.

“The construction work of the flyover and the widening of Burdwan Road will be completed within the next eight months,” he added.

For the expansion, around 50 trees have to be uprooted while a makeshift market and some local traders have to be shifted.

“We will re-plant the maximum possible number of trees. We have started talking with traders so that they can be rehabilitated...,” the mayor said.

Deb also spoke of revamping the Kanchenjunga Stadium and installing underground power cables.