Siliguri: The long-standing demand of fish traders in Mahabirsthan is finally set to be fulfilled, with the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) announcing the construction of a permanent fish market in Ward No. 8.
The project, which comes with a budget of Rs 1.63 crore, will provide traders — who have so far been conducting business in a scattered manner across the area — with a dedicated space to sell fish.
The move is also expected to benefit customers by offering them a more organised marketplace.
In addition, five roads in Ward No. 9 will undergo repairs at an estimated cost of Rs 44.84 lakh. Both projects fall under wards represented by BJP-led councillors.
Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb laid the foundation stones for the works, assuring that they would be completed at the earliest. Amit Jain, the Leader of the Opposition in the SMC, was also present at the foundation stone-laying ceremony.
“I thank the North Bengal Development department minister for sanctioning Rs 25 crore for numerous projects under SMC. These two works will also take place under this fund. Both wards are under opposition parties, but we do not differentiate works based on political affiliation. The entire city will be developed within a few years,” Deb said.
The Mayor further announced that after the construction of the Mahabirsthan Fish Market, the DI Fund Market would also be renovated.
Meanwhile, residents of Ward No. 9 and councillor had long raised complaints over poor road conditions, which prompted the civic body to take up the repair works.
The five stretches identified for repairs include: Starting from Panchahati Apartment to Jaren Saha House, Siddhi Vinayak to Amrit Sethia House, Ashirbad More to Binod Agarwal House, Anjani Apartment to Binay Prasad House, Rohit Bansal House to Prashant Singh House.