Siliguri

View of Siliguri with the Himalayas as background

Siliguri
Gateway Of North East India & Sila
—  metropolitan city  —
Siliguri Location of Siliguri in West Bengal and India
Coordinates	26°43′N 88°26′E
Country	India
State	West Bengal
District(s)	Darjeeling district
Mayor	Gangotri Dutta - Congress
Parliamentary constituency	Siliguri
Assembly constituency	Siliguri, Dabgram-Phulbari
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Elevation	272.90 km2 (105 sq mi) • 122 metres (400 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 734001-734006 (city); 734007-734017 (suburbs) • Telephone • +0353 • Vehicle • WB 74 / WB 73 2
Footnotes 1The coordinates given here are in metric system and based upon the Microsoft Encarta Reference Library Map Center 2005 2 The Vehicle Code given here based upon the Siliguri Sub Divisional Court documentations.
Website	www.siligurismc.com

Siliguri ( pronunciation Bengali: শিলিগুড়ি Shiliguṛi; Nepali: सिलगढी, Nepali: Sila) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located in the Siliguri Corridor or Chicken's Neck - a very narrow strip of land linking mainland India to its north-eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Consequently, the city has become an important trade center of West Bengal. The city hosts over 200,000 domestic and 15,000 foreign visitors annually.^{[citation needed]} It is the commercial nerve center of North Bengal. The city of Siliguri runs from west at Naxalbari to north east at Sevoke, Rohini gardens in north to Rajganj in south. The total area of Siliguri City is 232 km². The city is known for its natural beauty though the natural beauty is diminishing day by day due to urban agglomeration.The city has expanded almost 30km from its main zero point that is Mahabirsthan. Software technology park is under construction which will be completed by December 2012.

This city is also known as "Gateway of North East India". Siliguri is situated in Darjeeling district and a part of the city spreads over neighbouring Jalpaiguri district - 15 out of 47 wards of Siliguri Municipal Corporation falls in neighbouring Jalpaiguri district.

The Indian army, Border Security Force (BSF), CRPF, SSB and the Assam Rifles have bases around the city. The Bagdogra Airport, which serves the city, is located within the Indian Air Force's cantonment area.The city has many tourist places near by. The city is also famous for its fast food.It is the second capital of West Bengal, and capital city of North Bengal. The informations are updated by the City co-ordinator Mr Bikash Limboo(North Bengal University).

Geography

Siliguri is situated in the plains at the base of the Himalaya mountains. It is the largest city of North Bengal and the second largest city of West Bengal. It connects the hill stations such as Gangtok, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik to the rest of India. The Mahananda River bifurcates the city. Siliguri has three seasons: summer, winter and monsoon. Dense fog, a characteristic of Siliguri till a decade ago, is a rare occurrence today. In summer the temperature rarely reaches 33 degree Celsius.Winters are generally chilled when temperature goes down to 0 to -1 degree Celsius. During the monsoons (between June and September), the town is lashed by moderate to heavy rains often cutting access to the hill stations and Sikkim. The city is blessed with natural beauty of flora and fauna.The city has several fault line or uplands near by.The city is surrounded by dense forest which doesn't allow the temperature to increase much,and consequently, it still remains cooler than the other parts of Bengal. Summers are generally short which start from mid of May and continue till mid of September where temp. remains 25-32 degree Celsius. December and January are the coolest months with temperature getting to freezing point in some places of the city . The climate is suitable for growing tea and the surrounding regions have many tea gardens. The a] is located near the city. The winters are becoming shorter year by year due to urbanization. The city has expanded towards hills which leads to destruction of vegetation, due to which the summers are becoming hot and winters are losing their coldness.Earlier the whole city used to witness the dense fog in winters but now the fog is seen only if the temperature is below 15 degree Celsius. There are some areas which remain chiller then the other parts of the city. Being a developing city, it is heading towards becoming a mega city of India. It is the largest city in entire north east India follwed by Guwahati,though the Metropolitan area of Siliguri is 270.9Sqkm whereas the Guwahati Metropoliatn Development Authority(GMDA) has 240.00Sqkm. The city has almost touched other neighbouring towns i.e. Jalpaiguri, 40 km from Airview, Kurseong 40 km, Islampur 69 km and Dalkhola 128 km. It is possible that within 10-15years it will be compared to Kolkata,and if it happens then there will be drastic changes in climatic conditions and there will be no more tea plantations.

Economy

Siliguri at night

Siliguri is described as the gateway to the North East of India, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The strategic location of the city makes it a base for essential supplies to the above regions. Siliguri has gradually developed as a profitable centre for a variety of businesses. As a central hub, many national companies and organizations have set up their offices here. The Hong Kong market near Khudirampally is the chief hub for buying low-cost Chinese and illegally imported goods. Seth Srilal Market, Sevoke Road and Hill Cart Road are other prominent market places. The four "T"s - Tea, Timber, Tourism and Transport - are the main businesses of Siliguri. Being a tourist destination, Siliguri has a good number of hotels. Siliguri is the headquarters of FOCIN (Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of North Bengal). As a gesture of international co-operation and friendship, the road network of Siliguri is being used by the governments of Nepal and Bangladesh to facilitate easy transportation of essential commodities, such as food grains. The Silk Route of India, i.e. trade route between India and Tibet (China) is accessible only after crossing Siliguri (Nathula and Jelepla). There are also business routes to Bhutan.Bagdogra airport market is one of the shopping hubs in Siliguri.Another important market is at Matigara hut where people from Hills n plains comes for shopping. The city is famous for its fast food. The Shivmandir Bazaar is one of the famous site for its Momos,chowmin,chop(fries),egg rolls,chats,phuchkas,Thypoes,Biriyani,Kababs,etc.Another food hub is Momo gali where one can have the delicious taste of momoes,south and north Indian dishes. The city has various number of markets which fulfill the requirements of the local and visitors demands.

In recent times, the city has seen the establishment of a number of shopping malls and multiplexes to cater to the growing needs of the populace.The city centre, Uttarayon has become the new shopping hub and also providing various kind of part time and full time jobs. The are more than 10 big malls in the city namely Cosmos, Orbit, City centre, Vishal mega mart, V mart, City style, Bazaar Kolkata, Shoppers stop,Reliance trends and so many. The another feature is the fashionable garments, one can buy the latest outfits easily from the local markets.

Siliguri City Centre Mall

Siliguri Orbit Mall(Inox)

In order to develop the city in a planned manner and to make arrangement for the exploding population of the city, new townships of Uttarayon, The Kanchanjunga Integreted park and Shushruta nagar kawakhali township have been proposed to be built around the fringes of Siliguri.

Siliguri Uttarayon Township

Siliguri Uttarayon

Demographics

A house in Siliguri

Siliguri has experienced a huge surge in population in recent times. Based on Census data of 2011, the city had an approximate population of 1,772,374. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. In Siliguri, 11% of the population is under six years of age.

See also: List of cities in West Bengal

Siliguri has a majority Bengali population. Other minority communities include Gorkhas, Marwaris and Biharis.Bengali,Hindi,English,Nepali,Marwari,Bihari, Bhojpuri,Assamese,Punjabi,Gujrati,Tibeten languages are spoken by the local people of Siliguri.No doubt Siliguri is a 32nd metropolitan city of India.

Siliguri has seen waves of massive immigration over the years, most prominent being the migrants from the erstwhile East Bengal during the Partition of India, Nepal and Bihar. In addition, people from Jharkhand and other parts of India have also come to the city in search of livelihood.

History

As it is one of the newest city in the country, so doesn't contain much historical evidence, the city of Siliguri started from the small village Saktigarh which is now in southern part of the city, When the British east India Company introduced Railway to North East India, it grew the importance of the region, the present city area was once covered with dense forest of Dolka forest Range which was the habitance of Tigers,Leopard,Elephants and other wild animals. Siliguri town was opened in the year 1878. It was still a small town till 1947. After the partition of India and Pakistan the huge migration of population from Bangladesh taken place. The population continuously expanded, huge migrants from adjacent states helped in rise in population.In the year 2001 the population was 6 lakhs approx. And in the year 2011 census the population of Siliguri reached beyond its expectation, its more than 17 lakhs and became the 32nd largest city of India.

Transport

Hasmi Chawk

Public transport includes cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, local buses and Mahindra/Ape tempos, the rail bus from NJP Jn to Bagdogra. There is no metered vehicular transport. While 6-seater city autos ply between two fixed destinations of about 10–15 km, one can hire petrol-driven auto rickshaws from auto stands at a rate fixed by the municipal authorities. A total of 6,000 rickshaws licensed by the municipal corporation and an additional 15,000 illegal ones ply in this increasingly congested city.

Rail

Railway stations in the city include:

New Jalpaiguri station

1. Siliguri Town - This is the oldest station in the area. Opened on 23 August 1880 during the British Raj, this station used to be the terminus for the trains coming from Kolkata, and the starting point for the world-famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway for journey to Darjeeling. It is this station where such world-renowned personalities as Rabindranath Tagore, Chittaranjan Das and Subhash Chandra Bose set their feet on their way to Darjeeling and other places.

2. Siliguri Junction - This station was opened in 1949 and used to be the point of departure of all trains to the north-eastern states, until the broad gauge was extended to New Bongaigaon. Siliguri Junction is the only station in India with tracks of all the three gauges used in India.

3. New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri - Opened in 1964 as a totally greenfield project 2.5 km south of the Hasmi Chowk. Initially named New Siliguri (but later renamed New Jalpaiguri as it is located in Jalpaiguri District), this is now the most important station in the region. It is also known as NJP. This station connects Siliguri to every nook and corner of the country by railway. The city has now been expanded and included New Jalpaiguri as one of its ward of Siliguri Municipal Corporation. The Darjeeling Himalayan Toy train is the main attraction of this station.The station is the largest Railway station in entire North East with wide parking area and has awarded as cleanest Railway stn of India in the year 2011.

4. Bagdogra, Siliguri- Is situated in the western part of the city is one imp railway terminal in the city.

With the extension of broad-gauge railway track to the Siliguri Junction station, people can now travel directly to the heart of the city without having to alight at New Jalpaiguri. This new broad-gauge track extends to the old Dooars metre-gauge track up to Alipurduar and beyond.

5. Naxalbari,Siliguri- Is situated at further western part of the greater Siliguri city, in the heart of Naxalbari. The railway station has strategic importance as it facilitates not only the people of Naxalbari and Panitanki to connect with the other parts of the country but it also facilitates the people of Nepal(of places like Kakarvita, Dhulabari,Bittamore, etc.) to utilize the railway station as the means of communication with rest of India. The station is to be facilitated with computerised railway ticket reservation centre very soon. The new broad gauge track that passes from Siliguri Junction to Aluabari Road(Islampur, Uttar Dinajpur) through Bagdora, Naxalbari, Thakurganj(Bihar) provides an impetus to travel and trade through this part of the country.

Air

Bagdogra International Airport, Siliguri, situated about 15 km away frm the heart of the city, is the only airport in the region. The airport is connected to Bengaluru, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangkok (Thailand)[Sydney], [Dubai] and Paro (Bhutan).

Bus

The Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus situated next to the Siliguri Junction Railway Station is a major stop for most private and state-owned buses in the region. The Royal Government of Bhutan also operates buses from Siliguri to its border town Phuentsholing. Volvo Bus, Mercedes-Benz Bus, Royal Cruiser Bus link Siliguri to Kolkata, Patna etc. Jeeps also link Siliguri to neighbouring hill towns of Darjeeling, Gangtok, Kurseong, Kalimpong, Mirik, Jorethang, Namchi, etc.

The Sikkim Government buses run to various destinations of Sikkim from the Sikkim Nationalised Transport (SNT) bus station near the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus. There is another bus terminus named P.C. Mittal Bus Stand on Sevoke Road. All buses heading for the Dooars region via the Sevoke Coronation Bridge start from here.

The bus service from Siliguri Court More interconnects the different parts of the city such as Sivmandir, Bagdogra,Naxalbari, Panitanki,Medical, and Chatterhut while the Bus service from Howrah Petrol pump and Jalpaimore connects the city with Fulbari, Rajganj,Belakoba,Ambari Falakata, Jalpaiguri and Mainaguri.

Education

Siliguri has always been the hub of education in the Terai as well as the Dooars region. Apart from the residents of the town, students from states like Sikkim, Nagaland and Assam come here to pursue education. The region also sees an influx of students from the neighbouring countries of Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. While previously there had been just a handful of schools, of late there has been a spurt of growth in numbers with most catering to the CISCE (ICSE, ISC), CBSE and West Bengal Secondary and Higher Secondary board(s). Siliguri Boys' High School (SBHS) is the oldest school of the city founded in 1918 at the time of British rule and it is one of the largest school in city. Siliguri Girls' High School,Margaret English High School, Terai Tarapada Adarsha Vidyalaya, Nanda Prasad High School,Army public school Bengdubi, Army School Sukna, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bengdubi, Air Force School, B.S.F. School, Lincoln's High school, St. Joseph's High School, Matigara;Delhi Public School (DPS), Don Bosco,, Mahbert High School, Lincoln High School,Good Shepherd School,New St. John's High School,St. Michael's School Hebron School etc. are some of the notable schools here.Siliguri College is the oldest higher educational hub of this region, established on 1950. Now it was the B++ ranked by NAAC .

Siliguri has two engineering colleges, viz. Siliguri Institute of Technology & Surendra Institute of Engineering & Management other colleges are Suryasen mahavidyalaya, St Xaviers, Ignou Delhi, Salesian, Bagdogra clg, Naxalbari clg, Gyan jyoti, IIAS,and NIIT etc. CM Shree Mamata Banerjee has announced more four colleges to be introduced within six months namely BT college, Ravindra Bharati, and city college on Phansidewa block.

SIT(siliguri Institute of Technology)

Siliguri(SIEM)

There are a number of colleges in Siliguri. All these deliver general degrees as well as specialization (Honours) in the fields available under the North Bengal University.

The North Bengal Medical College, located in Sushrutanagar, is the sole medical college in the region and is connected to the main city through the 3rd Mahananda Bridge. Students from across the state as well from neighbouring states come to study here after having cleared the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (Medical) or the All India Pre-Medical Test.

The University of North Bengal was established in 1962, 10 km away from the main Siliguri city, in Raja Rammohan Pur. The campus occupies an area of about 330 acres (1.3 km²) is second largest in India. Approximately 80 colleges are affiliated to the university, with approximately 36,000 and 1,500 students enrolled in graduate and post-graduate courses respectively, every year. A sprawling campus, this university boasts having the second largest campus in the country.^{[citation needed]} The University is re-accredited by NAAC as B++.

Information technology

Siliguri is one of the three satellite IT hub and township that the government of West Bengal is developing. Some leading IT companies have shown interest and some of them have already started operating.

Siliguri has been identified as city that can emerge as preferred destinations for software development and outsourcing companies.

The likes of Acclaris Hinduza and Firstsource are in operation here since 2005. West Bengal Government has set up an IT Park at Siliguri for establishment of IT industries. Most of the individuals are already contributing towards innovative ideas and contributing IT skills towards the society. e.g. Education for the child's who can't afford school fees, Online clinic for poor people and A social site on Chhathpuja.

Festival

Major festivals observed at Siliguri include Durga puja, Chhath Puja, Ganesh puja, Laxmi puja, Saraswati puja, Dipawali etc. Baishaki mela is one of the oldest mela in Siliguri. The fashion week during winters are celebrated for entertainment. Various concerts are organised by local clubs, which continues from mid oct to mid dec.

Idol of Devi Durga

Sports

Table tennis, cricket, taekwon-do, chess and football are the most popular sports here. The Kanchenjunga Stadium is the city's only outdoor stadium and have hosted national and international level matches. The stadium houses the SAI sports hostel for athletes. There is an indoor stadium at Deshbandhupara in the southern part of the city. This new stadium has facilities for lawn tennis, badminton and table tennis as well as other indoor sports. However, the city is best known for being the training grounds for table tennis players. Siliguri has produced a number of national champions like Mantu Ghosh, the Gold Medal winner in the 1996 and 1999 SAF Games, Subhajit Saha and Nandita Saha. In recent years the close proximity of the Teesta river has made Siliguri a destination for the white water rafting enthusiasts. Indian international cricketer Wriddhiman Saha also hails from Siliguri.

Fair

There are a lot of fairs that take place in Siliguri. The famous fares in siliguri are Boishakhi Mela, Hosto Shilpo Mela,Book Fair, Lexpo Fair etc. Most of the fairs happens in Kanchanjangha Stadium.

Media

English-language newspapers in Siliguri include the Times of India, The Economic Times, The Asian Age, The Statesman and The Telegraph. Several Bengali newspapers, including Uttarbanga Sambad, Anandabazar Patrika, Bartaman, Ganashakti, Aajkaal and Pratidin are also available. Leading Hindi daily Prabhat Khabar is also being published from here.International news agencies like Reuters, AFP and AP also have correspondents here.

In addition to All India Radio, Siliguri has four private FM radio stations in Nine FM 91.9 MHz, Radio High 92.7 MHz, Red FM 93.5 MHz and Radio Misty 94.3 MHz.

Siliguri receives almost all the television channels that are received by the rest of India. Apart from the state-owned terrestrial network Doordarshan, cable television serves most of the homes in the town, while satellite television is common in the outlying areas and in wealthier households. Besides mainstream Indian channels, local news broadcasts, sporting events, and concerts are broadcast live or delayed via cable to many households. DTH services both by government and private companies are also available such as Tata Sky, Dish TV, Videocon d2h, Digital TV (Airtel) and Big TV (Reliance). Siliguri has three private channels - CCN, AMAR CABLE and HTV.

Internet cafes can be easily found in the main market area, served through broadband services provided by BSNL and other private companies like MetroNET (Orange Networks) and Sinet (CCN).

The area is serviced by cell phone companies such as Idea, Vodafone, Airtel, Aircel, BSNL, Reliance Communications, Tata Indicom, MTS, Tata Docomo, Virgin Mobile and Uninor. And also has 3G network of BSNL, Reliance Communications, Vodafone, Bharti Airtel, Aircel.

Location of Siliguri in the Chicken's Neck corridor

References

www.chhatpuja.co.in

External links

• Informative Portal of Siliguri
• CHHATH PUJA CELEBRATION IN NORTH BENGAL
• Siliguri Municipal Corporation
• Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority
• Information on Siliguri at West Bengal Government website
• MSN Map
• Information on Siliguri
• Online Yellowpages Business Directory Website of Siliguri