Central approval clears way for bypass that could shorten journeys to Siliguri
Siliguri — A 25-km greenfield corridor to be developed in Uttar Dinajpur district will provide an alternative all-West Bengal link to Siliguri and bypass the Kishanganj stretch in Bihar, BJP MP Kartik Chandra Paul said on Saturday. The announcement follows his representations to central authorities including the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and a meeting with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
According to Paul, the new corridor is intended to address a long-standing inconvenience faced by people, traders and transporters travelling between North Bengal and Siliguri, who currently pass through Kishanganj and are often subject to inter-state checks and delays. The MP said the tender process for preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed corridor has already commenced and, upon completion, the land acquisition process will be initiated.
The corridor will start and end in West Bengal, skirt the Kishanganj stretch in Bihar and rejoin the existing National Highway network within Bengal. Paul expressed gratitude to both central authorities and the West Bengal government for their cooperation in taking the proposal forward.
- Reduced travel time: The corridor is expected to shorten journeys between Raiganj and Siliguri by avoiding the Bihar stretch.
- Operational ease: Road users may face fewer inter-state checks and formalities, easing transport operations.
- Economic potential: Development along the greenfield alignment could stimulate commerce and local projects.
"A 25-km greenfield corridor would be developed as a bypass," Paul said, noting that the DPR tender process has started and land acquisition will follow.
Local traders and families who routinely travel between South and North Bengal have for years sought a direct route that remains within West Bengal. Presently, vehicles from Raiganj and other North Bengal towns as well as from South Bengal frequently pass through Kishanganj en route to Siliguri, which can add formalities and unpredictability to travel times.
Infrastructure experts and transporters in the region have previously highlighted how inter-state stretches affect logistics costs and scheduling for goods movement. While no cost estimate or construction timeline was disclosed with the announcement, the initiation of the DPR tender is the standard precursor to detailed design, environmental and social appraisal, and later land acquisition and construction.
| Stage | Status (as reported) |
|---|---|
| DPR preparation | Tender process begun |
| Land acquisition | To be initiated after DPR |
| Construction | Not yet started |
Officials at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways authority were cited by the MP as being involved in the decision. Paul also thanked the West Bengal government for its cooperation, suggesting inter-governmental coordination will be part of the implementation process.
For Siliguri and the sub-regional economy of North Bengal, improved intra-state connectivity could have several consequences. Shorter and more reliable road links often lower logistics costs for perishable goods, create better access for tourism and health services from district towns, and encourage private investment along new corridors. In Rajganj and other parts of Uttar Dinajpur, residents greeted the announcement with optimism, seeing potential for both time savings and fresh commercial activity.
At the same time, greenfield projects typically require careful environmental clearances and compensation and resettlement plans for any affected landowners and communities. The DPR stage will outline alignment options, environmental impact assessments and detailed cost estimates; only thereafter will land acquisition and construction planning commence.
Meanwhile, travellers and transport operators in North Bengal will monitor the DPR and subsequent notifications closely. If the project advances smoothly through the statutory stages, it could reshape movement between Raiganj, Siliguri and other economic centres across the region by keeping major arterial traffic within West Bengal and reducing dependency on cross-border stretches through Bihar.
The MP said he had raised the matter in Parliament and pursued it directly with central authorities, securing the commitment that the bypass would be developed. Further technical and financial details have not been released publicly so far.
