‘Siliguri to get 20 new 5-star hotels with Rs 5K cr investment’

Siliguri: With the aim of developing the city’s business and tourism sector, 20 new 5-star hotels are set to come up in the city. The project, involving an estimated investment of Rs 5,000 crore, is expected to significantly boost the city’s financial and hospitality sector infrastructure.

Dilip Dugar, the Chairman of the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) announced these plans after a meeting with representatives of industrial bodies, including Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) at the SJDA office, on Monday.

“Big companies like ITC, Taj, Holiday Inn, Radisson hotels, Park, Lemon Tree have started preparations for setting up luxury hotels here. We are also planning to enhance the surrounding areas of these hotels to create an attractive environment for visitors,” Dugar said. He added that the city will undergo comprehensive development within the next two years, with SJDA preparing detailed mapping for the projects.

A key demand from industrialists—the launch of a Land Use Development Plan—is also set to move forward. The plan, last amended in 2002 but never implemented, is now under active consideration. SJDA is holding talks with IIT Kharagpur to prepare the framework, and Dugar has recently discussed the matter with State Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim.

“All the issues are being examined and if everything goes well, work will start very soon,” he said.

To improve efficiency, SJDA will also streamline the process for issuing Land Use and Conversion Certificate (LUCC) documents. The certificates will now be available online, allowing applicants to access them from home without visiting the SJDA office. “We are upgrading the LUCC portal so that the process becomes faster and more convenient. Now, people will no longer have to visit the SJDA office and wait in long queues,” Dugar further added.