58-516: Opposition (10) Siliguri Municipal Corporation or SMC was established in the year 1994 and has been responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Siliguri . Siliguri Municipality was established in the year 1949. The first municipality office was set up in Hill Cart Road. It was a wooden construction. The first chairman of Siliguri Municipality was the then Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) Sachindra Mohan Guha. In
116-529: A 2001 thesis, Bengali speakers had a percentage of 64.25% out of the total population. Of the 30 wards in 2001, their population ranged from 11.71% to 98.96%. The most commonly followed religion in Siliguri is Hinduism , with Islam being the largest minority religion, followed by small percentage of adherents of Christianity and Buddhism . Siliguri saw rapid urbanisation under the British rule and that
174-568: A Chinese advance is still considered by Indian planners. A Chinese military advance of less than 130 km (81 mi) would cut off Bhutan, part of West Bengal and all of North-East India , an area containing almost 50 million people. This situation arose during the war between India and China in 1962. The security threat to this corridor was heightened during the 2017 Doklam incident . The probability of China cutting off seven states in northeast India has been questioned. Humphrey Hawksley , in his 2000 novel Dragon Fire , briefly authors
232-492: A Municipal corporation which has been responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Siliguri. Siliguri has now achieved the status of becoming the third-largest city in West Bengal , after Kolkata and Asansol . Siliguri is located at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas at a location of 26°43′N 88°26′E / 26.71°N 88.43°E / 26.71; 88.43 . The city
290-454: A prominent city for national champions like Mantu Ghosh , the gold medalist winner in the bi-annual South Asian Games (SAF) for table tennis, Ankita Das , Nandita Saha and Soumyajit Ghosh another internationally acclaimed table tennis player and Wriddhiman Saha – Indian international cricketer who plays First-class and Test cricket for the Indian national team . Siliguri has done
348-558: A river port on Mahananda , South of Siliguri in Phansidewa had an important role in having trade bond with Malda , Bengal and Bihar . This riverine trade line was thus used by the Bhutanese and Sikkimese to bring goods into their mainland. Siliguri started as a small area in the northern part of city, on the front of Mahananda River , which is now Dagapur. The Treaty of Sugauli in 1816, signed between Britain-Nepal, changed
406-551: A seating capacity of 30,000. Siliguri Corridor The Siliguri Corridor , also known as the Chicken's Neck , is a stretch of land around the city of Siliguri in West Bengal , India . 20–22 kilometres (12–14 mi) at the narrowest section, this geo-political and geo-economical corridor connects the seven states of northeast India to the rest of the India . The countries of Nepal and Bangladesh lie on each side of
464-510: A significant trading and transportation hub. According to Sailen Debnath, "Siliguri" means a stack of pebbles or stones. Until the 19th century this region was called as "Shilchaguri" when there was dense Dolka forest covering the region. Siliguri was a small agricultural village in the Kingdom of Sikkim . It was captured by the Kingdom of Nepal in 1788, after which Kirati and Nepali Lepchas came to settle in this region. At that time
522-479: A single platform and two tracks; one broad gauge line and one metre gauge line. Rangapani railway station (station code RNI) is part of the greater Siliguri metropolitan area. It is 14 km from Siliguri City center and serves Rangapani and adjacent areas. Rangapani railway station is on the Howrah-New Jalpaiguri line . This station is a halting point for 2 passenger trains. Bagdogra Airport
580-431: A transportation hub, Siliguri is well connected through railway with almost all parts of the country. There are seven stations that serve the city. New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station , established in 1960 (station code NJP) is an A1 category broad gauge and narrow gauge railway station under Katihar railway division of Northeast Frontier Railway zone . It is the biggest railway station of Northeast India serving
638-455: A tremendous job for Indian table tennis. Bikash Ghosh Memorial Swimming Pool is beside Kanchenjunga Stadium in the city, and conducts swimming competitions. White water rafting is done nearby in the Teesta river . Kanchenjunga Stadium, a multipurpose stadium, is the main stadium in Siliguri, and is primarily used for football matches, although it has also hosted several cricket matches. It has
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#1732776722374696-530: Is 10 km from Siliguri junction and is the third largest railway station after NJP and Siliguri Junction. This station serves Bagdogra and adjacent areas. Bagdogra railway station is on the Siliguri-Aluabari broad gauge single line via Thakurganj . This station is the halting point for 14 trains. Gulma railway station Railway (station code GLMA) is part of the Siliguri Urban area. It
754-554: Is 12 km from Siliguri City center and serves Champasari Anchal and Gulma areas. Gulma railway station is on the New Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar-Samuktala Road Line . This station is the halting point of 5 trains. Mainly passenger train halt at in this station. Matigara Railway Station (station code MTRA) is situated at Mathapari, West Bengal. Trains passing through this station include MLFC - SGUJ DEMU and SGUJ- MLFC DEMU. This station has
812-693: Is a major tier-II city in West Bengal . It forms "Twin Cities" with the neighbouring district headquarter of Jalpaiguri . The city spans areas of the Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in the Indian state of West Bengal. Known as the "Gateway of Northeast India" , Siliguri is popular for three Ts: Tea, Timber and Tourism. It is located on the banks of the Mahananda and the Teesta River in
870-585: Is an international airport located towards the west of Siliguri city, operated as a civil enclave at AFS Bagdogra of the Indian Air Force . This airport is a major transport hub in the region, with flights to Kolkata , Durgapur , New Delhi , Mumbai , Chennai , Bangalore , Hyderabad , Ahmedabad , Guwahati , Dibrugarh and has international connectivity with Paro and Bangkok . The airport also has regular helicopter services to Gangtok . Due to its location near Darjeeling hills and Sikkim ,
928-419: Is another major broad gauge and narrow gauge railway station of Siliguri. Until 2011 it was the only triple gauge (broad gauge, meter gauge and narrow gauge) railway station in India. After 2011, the meter gauge was shut down, but the track remains between Siliguri Junction railway station and Bagdogra railway station. Many different cities in India are serviced from this station. Siliguri Town railway station
986-399: Is famous for elephants. Sukna is the gateway to this sanctuary, which is 12 km from Siliguri. These sub-Himalayan forests are the home of various types of wild animals like the elephant , tiger , Indian bison , barking deer , wild pig, monkey, civet , snake, lizard, mountain goat, sambar , chital and fishing cat . These forests are also home of about 243 different bird species like
1044-655: Is found in Baikunthapur Forest, near Siliguri city. The rapid growth of the city has led to deforestation, making Siliguri warmer day by day and unbalancing the ecosystem. Siliguri is located in the Terai region ("moist land"), a belt of marshy grasslands and dense tropical deciduous moist forests at the base of Himalaya range which is rich in biodiversity, containing numerous rare species of flora and fauna. These forests are characterised by their distinct wildlife variety. Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary near Siliguri
1102-582: Is located between Bangladesh to the south-west, Nepal on the northwest, and proximate to Bhutan in the north. Between Sikkim and Bhutan lies the Chumbi Valley Tibetan territory. The southern end of the Dolam plateau or Doklam triboundary area slopes into the corridor. At the narrowest stretch, the corridor is generally formed by the Mechi River in the east; Nepal's Bhadrapur lies on
1160-674: Is one of the oldest railway station (station code SGUT) of the region, opened in 1880 for the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (Toy train) connecting Siliguri and Darjeeling. Its importance diminished with the construction of the Siliguri Junction railway station and New Jalpaiguri junction. Siliguri Town railway station is also a broad gauge and narrow gauge railway station, and is halting point for 8 trains only. Bagdogra railway station (station code BORA) comes under greater Siliguri metropolitan area. It
1218-468: Is spread over an area of 260 km within the Siliguri Corridor , and has earned a moniker the Chicken's neck . The city is surrounded by dense forests towards north and lifeline of Siliguri, Mahananda River flows through the city thereby bisecting it into two halves. Teesta river is not far from the city. Siliguri has an average elevation of 122 metres (400 feet). As Siliguri is located in
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#17327767223741276-502: Is the official language in Siliguri subdivision , including Siliguri city. In the municipal corporation at the time of the 2011 census, 60.88% of the population spoke Bengali , 25.24% Hindi , 4.66% Nepali , 2.39% Bhojpuri , 1.58% Marwari and 1.24% Urdu as their first language. Bengalis form the majority linguistic group in the city, followed by Biharis , Marwaris , Punjabis , Nepalis , Odias , and Tribals . According to
1334-518: Is the wettest month (804 mm) and January is the driest month (12 mm). The average rainy days in July is 27 and for December and January it is 1. Humidity is high throughout the year. Religions of Siliguri (2011) Languages of Siliguri (2011) Based on the Census data of 2011, the population of Siliguri UA/Metropolitan (including Siliguri municipal corporation and Dabagram municipality) is 701,489, while
1392-466: The Terai region, the soil is sandy in nature with the ratio of sand and silt much higher than clay. This region is very prone to earthquake as there are several fault lines nearby. The Siliguri subdivision is surrounded by Himalayan ranges towards north and towards south by the country Bangladesh , Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal and the Indian state of Bihar . On the east lies Jalpaiguri district and Kalimpong district and bounded on
1450-525: The Toy train from the station to Darjeeling in 1880. This helped Siliguri gain sub-divisional town status in 1907. The Siliguri Corridor was formed when Bengal was divided into West Bengal and East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) in 1947, with Sikkim later merging with India in 1975. At this point many immigrants came to settle here for better infrastructure, which led to an increased population. Later in 1950 Siliguri achieved municipal status. Keeping in mind
1508-733: The pied hornbill , egret , kingfisher, drongo, fly catcher, woodpecker and others. Another common sight is migratory water birds. NH 27 crosses through the heart of the city which is now a part of the AH2 project. Siliguri is the origin of the century-old Hill Cart Road that is NH 110 , which connects Siliguri and Darjeeling (77 km) dating from the British period. Siliguri also is the origin of NH 10 which connects Gangtok, and NH 12 which connects Pankhabari-Mirik. The highways NH 327, that connects Siliguri — Panitanki and NH 327B connecting Panitanki - Mechi Bridg, are also part of AH2 . It connects to adjacent countries through following routes: Being
1566-508: The state government is responsible for developing and maintaining the infrastructure for water supply, while the Water Supply department of the corporation provides new connections, supplies water, and collects the user charges. The Conservancy Environment Department of the corporation provides Solid Waste Management services in the city. Each ward in the city has its own Solid Waste Management committee that takes care of cleanliness at
1624-472: The Bagdogra Airport sees thousands of tourists annually. Central government of India confirmed international airport status to this airport in 2002 with limited international operations. This is one of the few airports in India with zero sales tax on aviation turbine fuel. Siliguri hosts numerous sporting events and matches to influence and build develop young athletes from the city. Some of
1682-576: The Sub-Himalayan forests are rich in fauna diversity. The plains of North Bengal (Siliguri, Jalpaiguri , Cooch Behar etc.) are surrounded by deep forests. These forests are home of various rare and common species of plants. The forest here is moist Tropical and characterised by dense growth of tall Sal ( Shorea robusta ). Sal occupies about 80% of all vegetation in these tropical forest. These forests are categorised by their dominating plant species such as 1) East Himalayan Sal Forest, present on
1740-711: The Union Board was set up in Siliguri under the Bengal Village Self-Government Act, 1919 and it provided public utilities in the city. The Municipal Council was set up in 1949 under the Bengal Municipal Act of 1932 with 8 wards. The first chairperson of the municipality was the Sub Divisional Officer, and the local councillors, called 'commissioners' in the then municipal act in effect, were nominated by
1798-573: The approval. The present City Development Plan 2041 for Siliguri was developed in 2015 as part of the Capacity Building for Urban Development project under the then Ministry of Urban Development by the private consultancy, CRISIL Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Limited . Siliguri City comes under Siliguri Jalpaiguri Planning Area and the responsibility of planning and development of the city lies with Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority . The Public Health Engineering Department of
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1856-481: The banks of the river. Further north the Mechi Bridge connects Mechinagar . India has embarked on a slew of projects, such as the construction of India-China Border Roads and Advance Landing Ground (ALGs), Northeastern India connectivity and Look-East transnational connectivity projects including BIMSTEC and BBIN to create multiple alternatives to Silliguri corridor, including through Bangladesh and
1914-709: The border with Nepal and Bhutan and Border Security Force for Bangladesh. The strip is also patrolled by the Indian Army , the Assam Rifles , and state police forces including the West Bengal Police . The security threat posed by the corridor decreased following the creation of Bangladesh in 1971. Internal threats to the corridor are numerous. Militant groups known to have used the corridor include United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN). The threat of
1972-529: The chairperson. This board will take care of the civic utilities of the city till the new municipal body is elected. This follows the establishment of similar boards first in state capital Kolkata and then the rest of the state. Siliguri is part of the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency . The last elections for the Lok Sabha took place in 2024 , when Raju Bista from Bharatiya Janta Party won
2030-637: The city Siliguri. This station is well connected to almost all parts of the country except Goa . This station ranked 10th cleanest railway station in India in a 2016 survey and was among the top 100 booking stations of Indian railway. Many premium services are available, including 1 international Mitali Express , Howrah–New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express , New Jalpaiguri - Guwahati Vande Bharat Express , New Jalpaiguri–Patna Vande Bharat Express , 4 Rajdhani Express , 2 Tourist Vistadome Express, 1 Shatabdi Express and 2 Humsafar Express. Siliguri Junction railway station (station code SGUJ) established in 1949
2088-516: The corporation has 23 departments. It has 47 wards, of which 14 wards are in Jalpaiguri district, while the remaining 33 wards are in Darjeeling district. The last municipal elections were held on 2015, when Communist Party of India (Marxist) won 23 seats, All India Trinamool Congress won 17 seats, Indian National Congress won 5 seats, Bharatiya Janata Party won 2 seats, while an independent candidate won 1 seat. The mayor of Siliguri for
2146-467: The corridor and the Kingdom of Bhutan lies at the northern end of the corridor. The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern side of the corridor, until its merging with India in 1975. The city of Siliguri, in the state of West Bengal, is the major city in this area and the central transfer point in eastern South Asia that connects Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, Darjeeling , and Northeast India to one another. The partition of India led to
2204-676: The corridor) and the bordering towns of Adhikari, Galgalia , Thakurganj , Naxalbari and Taiabpur with Nepal. National Highway 10 connects Siliguri to Guwahati in Assam . There is no free-trade agreement between Bangladesh and India. The Tetulia Corridor , an alternative to the Siliguri Corridor, is proposed under Article VIII of the India–Bangladesh Trade Agreement 1980, which states that "The two governments agree to make mutually beneficial arrangements for
2262-470: The five-year term from 2015 till 2020 was Ashok Bhattacharya from CPI(M) , who was later elected as the local Member of Legislative Assembly as well. The term of the last elected body of Siliguri Municipal Corporation ended on 7 May 2020 but municipal elections could not be held because of the COVID-19 pandemic . A Board of Administrators was established with the outgoing mayor, Ashok Bhattacharya, as
2320-575: The foothills of the Himalayas . Siliguri is the third largest urban agglomeration in West Bengal, after Kolkata and Asansol . Siliguri has great strategic importance in West Bengal, with convenient access to three international borders: Nepal , Bangladesh and Bhutan . It also connects the North-East with mainland India. Located in the foothills of Eastern Himalayas , Siliguri is
2378-428: The formation of the Siliguri Corridor through the creation of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh ) after the partition of Bengal (into East Bengal and West Bengal) in 1947–1948. The Kingdom of Sikkim formerly lay on the northern side of the corridor, until its union with India in 1975 via a publicly held referendum. This gave India a buffer to the north of the Siliguri Corridor and consolidated India's control over
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2436-442: The hottest month, August, is 27.1 °C. The temperature in peak summer sometimes exceeds 38 °C. On the other hand, the winter maximum temperature hovers around 20-25 °C, and the minimum drops 6-9 °C. January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 16.4 °C. The minimum temperature in winter season sometimes drops 5 °C or below. The highest temperature ever recorded in Siliguri is 41.9 °C, recorded on 7 June 2023, while
2494-540: The importance of Siliguri, in 1951, the Assam rail link was established with newly made (1949) Meter gauge Siliguri Junction railway station . After few years in 1961 all these stations were connected with broad gauge New Jalpaiguri Junction railway station which later became the most important railway station in Northeast India. Due to tremendous growth, Siliguri is now far away from its past outlook, becoming
2552-480: The important sports enthusiast local clubs in Siliguri organise several cricket, football, volleyball, swimming competition, table-tennis matches etc. Sports Authority of India (SAI) in Kanchenjunga Stadium conducts football and athletics. With the provision for an international outdoor and indoor stadium, Siliguri has enough opportunities to host national level matches. This has led Siliguri become
2610-587: The largest and fastest growing city in eastern India after Guwahati . The growth rate of Siliguri was 57.8% during 1971- 1981. Considering this growth, Siliguri came under the Integrated Urban Development Project program in 1981. Siliguri population growth rate rose to 46.8% of 1981–1991. A treaty between India and China for trade through Nathu La Pass , has expedited development and prospects of Siliguri as an international transportation and logistics hub. Later in 1994 Siliguri built
2668-576: The lower slopes of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary contains Sal , Khair , Simul , Sissoo , Riverine grasslands and various rare species of plants like Orchids 2) East Himalayan Upper Bhabar Sal, mainly present at Jalpaiguri district which is characterised by a dense population of Microstegium chiliatum, Sal . Others are Terminalia tomentosa and Schima wallichii . 3) Eastern Tarai Sal Forest, generally found in lower altitudes compared to other two types of forest. This type of forest characterised by various species of bamboos , ferns , and Sal which
2726-494: The lowest was recorded on 8 January 2018, when the mercury plummeted to 1.9 °C. Rainfall and other conditions On an average, Siliguri gets above 3000 mm per year. Winters are mostly dry, with the summers being rainy. About 80% of the annual rainfall is felt between June and September, this period is known as monsoons or rainy season in the season cycle. Heavy showers are often felt in May, June, July, August and September. July
2784-476: The population in the Municipal corporation area is 5,13,264. Males constitute 51.44% of the population and females 48.55%. Population shares of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe category persons in Siliguri municipal area are 8.84% and 1.25% respectively. The literacy rate in Siliguri is 77.64%. There are 154 notified and 31 non-notified slums in Siliguri, where 32% of Siliguri's population lives. Bengali
2842-534: The prospects of Siliguri, and it became a point of transit for the Darjeeling hills and Nepal mainland. From 1816 onwards, Siliguri started growing rapidly as a small city due to its strategic location in trade routes. In 1865, the British captured Darjeeling and the entire Dooars region to build tea plantations and export the produce to England. To scale up exportation they introduced the Siliguri Town railway station which stands to this day, and introduced
2900-632: The sea. All land transportation between the rest of India and its far northeastern states uses this corridor. The route has a major broad gauge railway line. Electrification of this double-track corridor is in progress with assistance from Central Organization for Railway Electrification (CORE). Additionally, the old metre gauge line (recently converted to a 1.676 metres (5 ft 6.0 in) broad-gauge line) connects Siliguri Junction with Islampur in North Dinajpur district of West Bengal, via Bagdogra (the only airport of national interest in
2958-638: The seat. The last elections to the West Bengal Vidhan Sabha took place in 2021 . The Member of Legislative Assembly representing Siliguri Vidhan Sabha Constituency is Sankar Ghosh . Building plans in Siliguri are approved by Siliguri Municipal corporation; for building up to 3 storeys including parking, the Borough Offices give clearance, while for buildings with more than 3 storeys, the Building Department gives
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#17327767223743016-632: The state government. After the amendment of the act in 1956, 3/4 of the local representatives were elected, while the remaining nominated by the Deputy Commissioner. The first elected chairperson of Siliguri was Jagdish Chandra Bhattacharya. In 1994, the municipal council was upgraded to the Siliguri Municipal Corporation with 47 wards. It had five departments then: General Administration, Collection, License, Public Works and Sanitation and Public Health. As of now,
3074-472: The use of their waterways, railways and roadways for commerce between the two countries and for passage of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other". However, the proposal is still in the initial stages of negotiation. India has a number of forces stationed on the borders, the Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police man the border with China; Sashastra Seema Bal are deployed along
3132-539: The ward level. The Public Works Department of the corporation and Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority are both responsible for the construction and maintenance of roads in Siliguri. Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority also prepared the Traffic & Transportation Master Plan 2030 and the Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Siliguri Jalpaiguri Planning Area. Siliguri and surrounding
3190-492: The west by the country of Nepal , thus strategically so important. Siliguri falls under the humid subtropical climate ( Cwa ), when using the Köppen climate classification . Warm summers, cooler winters and a severe monsoon defines Siliguri's climate. Temperature The average annual temperature in Siliguri is 23.2 °C. In summer, the temperature varies from a minimum of 20-24 °C to a maximum of 30-35 °C. The temperature of
3248-737: The western side of the Chumbi Valley . The dimensions of the corridor are a matter of interpretation. Descriptions give it an area of 170 by 60 km (106 by 37 mi) with the narrowest section being 20–22 km (12–14 mi). Kamal Jit Singh places the length at 200 km (120 mi) with a width of 17 to 60 km (11 to 37 mi), giving it an area of approximately 12,200 km (4,700 sq mi). Another description places its dimensions as approximately 200 km (120 mi) in length and 20 to 60 km (12 to 37 mi) wide, also giving it an area of approximately 12,200 km (4,700 sq mi). The corridor
3306-531: The year 1994, Siliguri Municipality was awarded Corporation status. Siliguri Municipal Corporation areas include both in Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district. Out of 47 wards of SMC, 14 are in Jalpaiguri district. It administers an area of 41.90 km (16.18 sq mi). (Netaji more to Fuleswari river) nagar Siliguri Siliguri ( / s ɪ ˈ l i ˌ ɡ ʊ r i / Bengali: [ˈʃiliɡuɽi] ), also known as Shiliguri ,
3364-673: Was reflected in its local governance as well. The earliest form of local urban governance was a Sanitation Committee set up in 1915. Its function was to dispose off night soil. Till 1921, most aspects of local governance in Darjeeling district, including Siliguri, was looked after by the Darjeeling Improvement Fund. In 1922, Siliguri Local Board with nominated members was created under the Bengal Local Self Government Act, 1885. In 1938,
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