Deb dismisses Bista's parlays with Union ministers as 'mere eyewash'

Darjeeling: Tourism minister Goutam Deb has dismissed Darjeeling MP Raju Bista's recent parlays with different Union ministers, including Union minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, as a mere eyewash.

On July 29 Bista had said in a press statement that he had met Gadkari and requested the minister for a four-lane ring road connecting various parts of the Siliguri Metropolitan area including Darjeeling More, Matigara, Fulbari, Dabgram and Salugara.

He further stated that the present two-lane highway connecting Matigara to Darjeeling More is causing massive traffic jam, leading to inconvenience of people.

The MP had also claimed that Gadkari has asked him to hold meetings with regional authorities from Highway and Surface Transport Ministry, National Highway Authority of India, Public Welfare Department (West Bengal) and Darjeeling District Administration to develop a roadmap to resolve all these issues at one go.

"The minister has assured that once all formalities are completed, his office will immediately act on the recommendations. He has also assured that the ring road proposal for Siliguri will be taken up at the earliest," stated the release.

"We have nothing to do with the MP meeting his party (read the BJP) ministers in air-conditioned chambers in Delhi over tea and coffee and then issuing releases. Protocol has to be maintained and there has to be an official communication from the Union Ministry. Either it is a ministerial level meeting or an official level meeting. We have not heard of an MP given charge of departmental work. There is no official communication to this effect," remarked Deb.

Deb added that the state has always raised the issue but the Union government has always turned a deaf ear to the same.

The Tourism minister further stated that he would launch a day-long dharna in Darjeeling More on August 2 in demand of immediate broadening of the road by the Centre, to ease traffic congestions.

"Red Tapism should not come in the way of development, from which the public benefit. We should work together. Protocol will definitely be followed during my visit to my constituency and when I meet the concerned authorities," stated Bista.

Deb countered the statement, saying that the BJP-led Union government is out to dissolve the federal structure of governance in the country.