Siliguri Mayor threatens protest over NBSTC bus stand at NJP Stn
Siliguri: Gautam Deb, Mayor of Siliguri, alleged that the Railway authorities are not permitting buses of the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) to enter the New Jalpaiguri (NJP) Railway Station premises, causing significant inconvenience to passengers who rely
on bus services.
Speaking on Saturday, Mayor Deb warned of staging a sit-in protest if the Railway authorities do not allow buses to enter the station during the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations. He added that the protest, planned after the festival, would involve both him and the Chairman of NBSTC. “After arriving at the station, passengers who need buses are forced to walk a long distance or hire other vehicles to reach the bus stop.
This situation has become very difficult for them. The Railways are not allowing government buses to enter the station premises and we want to provide government bus services directly from the station premises,” Mayor Deb stated.
The Mayor claimed he had already spoken to the state Transport minister and requested the Chief Secretary to intervene. He warned that he would be “forced to stage a sit-in demonstration with officials” if the issue remains unresolved. Previously, NBSTC had started city bus services from NJP and passengers could board buses directly from the station. However, in recent months, the Railway authorities have allegedly barred buses from entering, forcing them to park near an army camp outside the station premises.
According to Mayor Deb, he received several complaints from the public about this issue during his “Talk to Mayor” program. Despite repeated requests to railway authorities, the problem persists.
However, Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Railways said: “There is no order that buses will not be allowed to enter. The station is currently under renovation, which has led to potential traffic congestion concerns. If buses enter the station premises, the Railways have no issue with that.”
