Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Bengal Government Plans Siliguri Market Infrastructure Upgrade Before Durga Puja
The Bengal government wants to improve a large market in Siliguri.
The market sells fish, vegetables and fruits to wholesalers.
It has problems with drainage, drinking water and parking.
Some farmers must sell their goods on roads outside the market.
The government plans to add better facilities and manage waste.
Biodegradable waste may be turned into fertiliser.
Small cold stores will help keep fruits and vegetables fresh.
The minister also said onion and sugar prices would be controlled before Durga Puja.
The Bengal government will refurbish Champasari’s Siliguri Regulated Market, a major wholesale hub in north Bengal.
The 50-acre market has poor drainage, inadequate drinking water, limited parking and insufficient space for farmers.
The market has around 800 stalls, with hundreds of trucks arriving daily and transactions worth ₹5–6 crore.
Plans include biodegradable-waste processing, small cold-storage facilities, rest houses, washrooms and cafeterias.
Minister Dilip Ghosh said wholesale onion and sugar prices would be regulated at ₹35 and ₹50 per kilogram before Durga Puja.
- Who
- The Bengal government, led on this initiative by agricultural marketing minister Dilip Ghosh, along with market traders and trade union representatives.
- What
- The government will upgrade the Siliguri Regulated Market and plans to regulate wholesale onion and sugar prices.
- When
- The decision was announced on Tuesday, ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja festivities.
- Where
- Champasari’s Siliguri Regulated Market in north Bengal.
- Why
- To address poor drainage, inadequate drinking water, limited parking, roadside selling and other infrastructure and waste-management problems.
- Market size
- The market is spread over 50 acres.
- Stalls
- The market has around 800 stalls.
- Daily activity
- Hundreds of trucks arrive daily from different parts of the country.
- Daily transactions
- Goods worth approximately ₹5–6 crore are transacted each day.
- Planned cold storage
- Small cold-storage facilities will be built to preserve produce for up to three months.
- Price targets
- Wholesale onion and sugar prices are targeted at ₹35 and ₹50 per kilogram, respectively.
- Statewide plan
- The initiative is part of a plan to redevelop 50 regulated markets across the state.