Mamata to lay foundation stone for Bengal’s largest Mahakal Temple in Siliguri

Kolkata, Jan 11 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lay the foundation stone for the proposed Mahakal Temple in Siliguri during her two-day visit to north Bengal later this week, a senior official said on Sunday.

The foundation-laying ceremony of the shrine, stated to be the largest Mahakal Temple in the state, is likely to take place on January 16, followed by official programmes in Jalpaiguri the next day.

“The chief minister will be visiting north Bengal as part of her tour and will lay the foundation stone of the Mahakal Temple in Siliguri. All arrangements related to her visit and the programme are being coordinated by the district administration,” the official told PTI.

The announcement follows Banerjee’s assurance during her visits to north Bengal after the region was hit by severe natural disasters in October last year. During one such visit to Darjeeling, the CM had offered prayers at the Mahakal Mandir and announced plans to construct a larger temple in Siliguri.

Banerjee had said that land for the project has already been identified and will be provided free of cost by the state government. A convention centre will also be developed as part of the temple complex, which will house the largest Shiva idol in the state. A trust board will be constituted to oversee the project.

The chief minister had earlier indicated that the foundation stone would be laid in the second week of January, but the schedule was subsequently pushed to the third week. Construction work is expected to begin after the foundation-laying ceremony.

The proposed Mahakal Temple is part of the state government’s recent religious infrastructure initiatives, which include the Jagannath Temple at Digha and the Durga Angan project at New Town. The foundation stone for Durga Angan was laid in December, and Banerjee has said the project will be completed within two years. PTI SCH NN