NHA approves Rs 25 crore to construct service road for Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench

Jalpaiguri: The National Highway Authority has approved Rs 25 crore for constructing a service road on one side of National Highway 27, from Paharpur More to Assam More, aiming to improve access to the new Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench of the Calcutta High Court. The tender process for this project began this month, with construction anticipated to start by the end of November.

Presently, the Circuit Bench operates from a temporary facility on Jalpaiguri Station Road, while its permanent structure nears completion between Goshala More and Paharpur More along NH-27. With the bench’s opening expected soon, a service road was proposed to enhance accessibility and manage the expected increase in traffic.

District Magistrate Shama Parveen confirmed the development, saying: “The National Highway Authority has informed the administration that construction will begin in November. A Rs 25 crore budget is set aside for the service road from Paharpur More to Assam More.”

The new road is expected to ease traffic and improve safe access to the Circuit Bench. Travellers from the Dooars or Northeastern regions can reach the bench directly via Paharpur More, while those from Bagdogra Airport or Siliguri can access it from Assam More. Visitors from Jalpaiguri Road Station will also find easy access to the bench through Goshala More. Abhijit Sarkar, Secretary of the Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench Bar Association, highlighted the importance of the new access route. “Our president, Kamalkrishna Banerjee, remains in contact with the High Court Registrar about the infrastructure and we encourage the National Highway Authority to expedite the road construction,” he said.

Jalpaiguri MP Jayant Roy stated that the tender process has already begun. “The National Highway Authority expects to start work on the service road by the end of this month,” he added. North Bengal Project Director of the National Highways Authority, Pradyut Dasgupta, confirmed: “The Circuit Bench’s permanent structure is being built alongside National Highway 27 and the service road will run adjacent to it.

The tender process for this has already started.”