The Trinamul-run Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) will provide land rights to people dwelling in 200-odd slums located across the city, mayor Gautam Deb said on Wednesday.

“We have taken the task to expedite the process of providing land rights to people who live in Uttaran — the name given by chief minister Mamata Banerjee to slums across the state — areas of Siliguri. We had a meeting with the district magistrate of Darjeeling and have also spoken with the
district magistrate of Jalpaiguri for speedy distribution of land rights,” Deb said after
a meeting at the PWD inspection bungalow in Siliguri on Wednesday.

The decision, he said, was made following instructions from chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mamata on Monday, while speaking at a government function near Uttarkanya — the branch secretariat of the state in the southern outskirts of Siliguri — had said
that land rights would be provided to slum dwellers of Siliguri.

Deb said that the rights would be issued in refugee relief and rehabilitation (RR) and none-RR categories.

“The urban land distribution committee (ULDC) of SMC will hold separate meetings with the district magistrates of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri on February 8 to discuss the issue. We want to distribute land rights to around 10,000 families (who live in slums) during the next three months,” the mayor added.

Sources in the civic body said as of now, there are currently 154 notified slums and 12 non-notified slums in the municipal area that is spread across 47 wards.

“Also, there are 48 makeshift shelters on railway land in the civic area and altogether, 1.30 lakh people reside in these places,” said a source.

The civic body is also in communication with the railways and has sought permission so that those living on railway land can be provided such land on lease. “Later, they can be included under housing schemes and provided assistance so that they can build their dwelling units,” said Deb.

The decision, political observers said, is significant. “In most of these areas, the BJP has a considerable support base. As the Lok Sabha polls are drawing near, it seems that Trinamul is trying to develop its base to prevent the BJP from taking a lead from the two Assembly segments (Siliguri and Dabgram-Fulbari) which fall under Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri Lok Sabha seats,” said an observer.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP was ahead in both the Assembly segments and in the 2021 Assembly polls, the saffron party won both seats.