Cooch Behar city gears up to become heritage destination

Restoration and beautification of heritage buildings and ponds are in full swing to give the push needed to get Cooch Behar City declared a ‘heritage site’. The proposal was initiated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The district administration has already made elaborate plans to give a facelift to Cooch Behar’s Sagardighi and Bairagi Dighi.

The ghats of Bairagi Dighi are being reconstructed. Walkways are being built there to facilitate morning and evening strollers, along with handrails on one side. A footpath will be constructed in front of Madan Mohan Bari with a parking zone in the area. The building located near Bairagi Dighi will be renovated, with the creation of an exhibition area and the construction of a toilet area. Parking zones for cars will be designated near the court premises, and separate toilet facilities will be arranged in another area for public use.

Five years ago, during an administrative meeting in Chakchaka, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recommended declaring Cooch Behar a heritage city. In the primary list of heritage sites found in the city, a total of 154 sites have recently been selected for restoration using heritage funds. Based on this decision, the Department of Municipality and the Municipal Engineering

Directorate (MED) has initiated the work.