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Mamata Banerjee Lays Foundation for Mahakaal temple, Launches bus services in North Bengal
Siliguri, west Bengal - January 16, 2026 – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone for a new Mahakaal (Shiva) temple in Matigara, near Siliguri, in the Darjeeling district on Friday.She also inaugurated over 40 new bus services, including six luxury sleeper buses, aimed at improving connectivity between North and South Bengal.
Mahakaal Temple Project
The planned temple will feature what is intended to be the world’s tallest statue of Mahakaal. Banerjee stated the temple complex will be a large-scale replica of the Mahakaal temple in Ujjain, madhya Pradesh, and will serve as a center for cultural and religious studies, and also a tourism hub. The project is estimated to cost ₹344.2 crore (approximately $43.5 million USD as of January 18, 2026, based on current exchange rates XE.com).
The state cabinet approved the project on November 24, 2025, wiht land previously leased to a private real estate company, but left undeveloped, being transferred to the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development authority. The Hindu
Political Context
The announcement and groundbreaking have drawn political scrutiny, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging the move is an attempt by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to regain ground in North Bengal. The BJP currently holds significant sway in the region, winning 30 of the 54 Assembly seats in the eight North Bengal districts in the 2021 state elections. In the 2019 Lok sabha elections, the BJP secured seven of the eight parliamentary seats in North Bengal. Indian express
This project follows the inauguration of the Jagannath temple in Digha, East Midnapore district, in June 2025, signaling a broader strategy by the TMC to promote cultural tourism and perhaps appeal to a wider voter base.
Infrastructure Development & Other Initiatives
beyond the temple project, Banerjee announced plans for a Darga angan in Kolkata, also with the aim of promoting culture and tourism. She also highlighted the ongoing construction of a bridge connecting
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