Siliguri: The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has announced a series of initiatives to promote cultural heritage and sports in the city.
Among the major decisions taken during Friday’s statue committee meeting chaired by Mayor Gautam Deb, is the installation of a full-length bronze statue of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore near Mahatma Gandhi More in Siliguri.
Primary discussions with the artists have already started. Soon the work will begin.
The SMC is also planning to set up statues of other eminent personalities, including a fibreglass statue of freedom fighter Bagha Jatin and new statues of Chittaranjan Das, BR Ambedkar and Bir Chila Roy in various parts of Siliguri.
During the meeting, the Mayor also addressed concerns regarding existing statues located near Darjeeling More and Mallaguri.
Due to the ongoing expansion work of the National Highway in these areas, a statue of Tenzing Norgay at Darjeeling More and Khudiram Bose at Mallaguri—will need to be relocated.
“We will be holding meetings with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) regarding the relocation of these statues. We will request funds to ensure they are shifted and placed elsewhere with dignity,” Deb said. The iconic ‘Biswa Bangla’ globe at Darjeeling More may also be demolished and replaced with a new version, pending further discussion with the NHAI.
Meanwhile, the SMC is set to launch a new table tennis academy at Indoor Stadium in Siliguri, scheduled to begin by July this year. Eminent sports figures including Kasturi Chakraborty, Amitava Dutta and Amalendu Raha will provide training to students. The academy will initially feature 4 to 6 tables.
The SMC is also planning to introduce night football matches and swimming competitions in Siliguri, as part of its upcoming platinum jubilee celebrations.
“The work of the corporation is not limited to keeping the city clean. We are also committed to strengthening sports, education, and environmental sectors,” Deb added.