Siliguri

Siliguri

State	West Bengal
Location - Latitude - Longitude	- 26.42°N - 88.25°E
Population	258,000
Area	6,227 sq km
Altitude	122 m
STD code	+0353
PIN code	734 401
Licence plates	WB 76

Siliguri is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Siliguri is strategically located in the Chicken's Neck — a narrow strip of land linking India to its north eastern states. It is also the transit point for air, road and rail traffic to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The town hosts over 500,000 domestic and 15,000 foreign visitors annually.

Siliguri is situated in Darjeeling district, and though it is the district's largest city, the district headquarters is Darjeeling. The Indian army has a large base here. The Assam Rifles — an Indian paramilitary wing — is located just north of the city and includes an airport within its cantonment area.

Contents

1 Geography 2 Economy 3 People 4 Transport 5 Sports 6 Places around Siliguri

Geography

Siliguri is situated at the base of the Himalaya mountains in the plains. It is the largest town in the area and connects the hill station towns of Gangtok, Kalimpong and Darjeeling with the rest of India. The river Teesta flows past Siliguri. Siliguri has three main seasons summer, winter and monsoon. Summers are very hot and temperatures exceed 40°C. During this season, tourists from all over India stop in Siliguri en route to the cooler climes of the northern hill stations. Winters are cool and temperatures range from a high of 15°C to a low of about 6°C. Light rain and dense fog are seen during this season. During the monsoon season between June and September, the town is lashed by heavy rains often cutting access to the hill stations and Sikkim.

Economy

Siliguri is described to be the gateway to the Northeast. The strategic location of the city makes it a base for essential supplies to the region. Siliguri has a lot of businesses and has profited in the 1990s due to cheap goods coming in from Nepal. As a central hub, many national companies and organisations have set up their offices here.

People

The people of Siliguri are mostly Bengali and Nepalese. Bengali and Nepali are the two most widely spoken languages here. The city is crowded and traffic jams are common in the intersections. Momos — steamed dumplings filled with meat or vegetable are popular in Siliguri. Bengali, Nepali and Sikkimese cuisine are popular in the Siliguri.

Transport

Local public transport include buses, cycle rickshaws and tempos. Siliguri has a railway station with metre gauge which connects the town to the north-eastern states. New Jalpaiguri, a sister town sixteen kilometres away, is the nearest broad gauge railway station which is linked to the rest of India. Bagdogra airport, situated about thirty kilometres away is the closest civilian airport. The airport is well connected to most Indian cities including the state capital Calcutta. A regular helicopter service links Siliguri to Gangtok.

The Siliguri Central Bus stop is a major stop for most buses in the region. The Royal Government of Bhutan also operates buses from Siliguri to the Bhutanese capital Thimphu. Jeeps also link Siliguri to neighbouring towns.

Sports

Cricket and football (soccer) are the two most popular sports here. People are football crazy and support the local Bengal clubs. The Kanchenjanga Stadium is the city's only stadium and matches are regularly held here.

Places around Siliguri

• Mahananda Weir Wildlife Sanctuary
• Madhuban Park
• Umrao Singh Boat Club
• Salugara Monastery
• Coronation Bridge

siliguri also has a new stadium called the indoor stadium near desbandhupara. minor indoor games, including tennis and table tennis tournaments are held here.