Siliguri, July 8 -- The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has issued a demolition notice for a Trinamool Congress (TMC) party office located in Ward No. 47, directing that the structure be removed for allegedly being an unauthorised construction. Municipal officials have already pasted the notice on the office.
The party office was constructed during the tenure of the previous TMC-led municipal board on the bank of the Panchanoi River. The construction had triggered controversy at the time, with questions being raised over how a permanent structure was allowed to come up so close to the river. However, no action was taken by the then civic administration.
Following the appointment of an administrator to run the civic body after the municipal board was dissolved, the SMC has launched a series of drives against alleged illegal constructions. The notice further states that if the structure is not demolished voluntarily, the civic body will take action and carry out the demolition.
Sources also claimed that during the Left Front regime, the site housed a public park. The park was later dismantled during the construction of an iron bridge over the Panchanoi River. Although the park was reportedly supposed to be rebuilt after the bridge work, the TMC party office was constructed on the site instead.
Bir Bikram Rai, Municipal Commissioner, said: "A notice has already been pasted at the site. The unauthorised structure will be demolished soon." Amar Anand Das, the Councillor of ward number 47, said: "The party office was constructed after leaving space for the park and with the consent of local residents."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.