Urban development in the Darjeeling region has received a major boost with the central government’s continued support through the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. Member of Parliament Raju Bista has shared detailed information on various infrastructure projects under both AMRUT 1.0 and AMRUT 2.0, focusing on essential services like drinking water, drainage systems and green spaces across the Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency. Under AMRUT 1.0, the Government of India allocated Rs 1,929.32 crore to West Bengal, of which Rs 1,905.39 crore has already been released. For Darjeeling district, RS 206.8 crore was allotted for 18 infrastructure projects. Among these, Rs 204.84 crore was specifically used for providing drinking water connections to every household in Darjeeling Municipality, covering around 11,800 new tap connections. Moreover, in the Siliguri Municipal Corporation area, a park was developed and a 1.40-acre green space was created at a cost of Rs 1.96 crore.
With the rollout of AMRUT 2.0, the central government has stepped up its efforts by allocating Rs 3,658 crore to West Bengal. Of this, nine key projects worth Rs 1,503.67 crore have been approved for Darjeeling district alone. These new projects aim to improve the region’s water supply network, upgrade old drainage systems, and restore natural water bodies that are important for the local environment and daily life. In Kurseong Municipality, Rs 210 crore has been allocated to ensure proper drinking water supply to every household. An additional Rs 80 lakh has been set aside for the restoration of the Central Water Lake in Victoria under the same municipality, which will support local ecology and water conservation. Mirik has also seen an increase in funding. An extra Rs 2.43 crore has been granted, raising the total allocation for water supply to Rs 199 crore. This amount will be used to make sure every household in Mirik receives a drinking water connection. Furthermore, Rs 10 crore has been allocated for cleaning the silt and restoring Sumendu Lake. This will help maintain the lake’s beauty and protect fish and aquatic life from dying due to lack of oxygen.
Darjeeling Municipality has received an additional Rs 298.6 crore under AMRUT 2.0. Out of this, Rs 238.6 crore is for completing the drinking water projects and Rs 60 crore is for restoring the North and South Senchal Lake and building new reservoirs to improve water storage and supply capacity. In Kalimpong Municipality, a total of Rs 197.97 crore has been allocated. Rs 196.57 crore of this is for the water supply project, and Rs 40 lakh has been allotted for developing green public spaces in the town. Siliguri Municipal Corporation has received Rs 785.27 crore. Of this, Rs 511.08 crore is for the first phase of a large water supply project covering Siliguri and nearby rural areas. Rs 274.19 crore has been dedicated to restoring and improving the existing Waste Stabilization Ponds and related infrastructure. These improvements will help Siliguri build a modern and efficient drainage and septic system. Raju Bista said that these projects show the central government’s strong commitment to ensuring that every family has access to safe drinking water. He urged the West Bengal Government, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and the local municipalities to implement these projects with honesty, speed and transparency so that the public fully benefits from these initiatives. He expressed his deep thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Urban Development and Housing Manohar Lal Khattar for focusing on the development needs of Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars. Bista added that these efforts will lead to long-term progress for the region and improve the quality of life for its people.
