Barrackpore civic body soon a reality

Kolkata: The state government has began the process of constituting the Barrackpore Municipal Corporation with plans to bring in eight municipalities in North 24-Parganas under its aegis.

The letter by the SDO seeking certain details and opinion of eight municipalities in this regard have already reached the chairmen.

"We have to examine a number of things before we constitute a corporation. The most important aspect involved is the population. The infrastructure of the municipalities and many other things also need to be taken into consideration. There are a number of procedures that need to be followed at the administrative level. The final decision of constituting a corporation will be ratified in the state Cabinet that is chaired by the Chief Minister," said Firhad Hakim, state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs (MA) minister.

According to sources, the Municipal Affairs department had sent a circular to the district magistrate of North 24-Parganas,a few months back apprising about kicking off process of forming the Barrackpore Municipal Corporation.

According to sources in the department, Kanchrapara, Halisahar, Naihati, Bhatpara, Garulia, Uttar Barrackpore, Barrackpore and Titagarh are the municipalities that will be brought under the corporation.

Shiuli and Mohanpur panchayat may also be brought under the corporation as per plans of the department. The head office of the Corporation will be located in Barrackpore itself. Presently, there are 22 municipal corporations in the state.

It may be mentioned that Mamata Banerjee soon after taking over as the Chief Minister in 2011 had said at a programme in Bidhanngar that formation of municipal corporations ensure better civic amenities for the people. The Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, the Durgapur Municipal Corporation etc has already come up after 2011. "It was a long standing desire of the people in North 24-Parganas that a Corporation should be formed. Now, their wishes will be fulfilled. Most importantly, a corporation ensures more flow of funds from the government and this will ensure more and more development," said Partha Bhowmick, Trinamool Congress MLA of Naihati .

It may be mentioned that Barrackpore and its adjoining areas in the district have witnessed massive urbanization for the last few years and forming a municipal corporation will be a big boon to all round infrastructure development that includes water supply, solid waste management, health and drainage.

Chairman of Titagarh Municipality Prasanta Chowdhury said: "We will be able to serve people in a much better way and provide more civic amenities to the people of a corporation is formed. I have directed my officials to cater to all queries of the SDO as fast as we can."