The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) will intensify the traffic management system along the Eastern Bypass — a 7km-long road connecting the city’s northwest with the southwest outskirts — in collaboration with the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP) and the state public works department to avert accidents.

The decision was made at a meeting attended by mayor Gautam Deb and senior officials of the SMP and the PWD.

“At the meeting, it has been decided to place more speed breakers, iron rail guards and additional reflectors on the entire bypass to avert accidents. We have also asked the officials of electrical and construction wings of the state PWD to carry out the necessary work, including the repair of some streetlights,” Deb said after the meeting.

In the past few weeks, there were road accidents in which people lost their lives or suffered injuries. Even on Tuesday, a vehicle rammed into a roadside shop, causing
extensive damage.

The mayor claimed that during his tenure as the north Bengal development minister and as the MLA of the Dabgram-Fulbari Assembly seat — the bypass is in the constituency — the north Bengal development department had spent ₹53 crore for its widening and had built road dividers.

“There are 64 electric poles with 124 street lights along the road. The PWD will ensure that the road is properly illuminated. I will also request the Jalpaiguri district administration to install lights in prominent junctions of the road where rural roads connect the bypass,” said Deb.

Sources said senior police officers, who were present at the meeting, also came
up with certain suggestions for better management of traffic along the road and also to
curb accidents.

“The police will implement these suggestions on their part to ensure that people abstain from rash driving and follow the signals,” said Deb.