PM Modi inaugurates circuit bench of Calcutta High Court

Churabhandar (WB), Feb 7 Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday introduced the hotly anticipated circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court and said it would help in providing speedy justice to the people of north Bengal.

Pressing a button to unveil the plaque of the circuit bench, he stated, "The long term request of the people of north Bengal has been met with the introduction of the circuit seat as they won't need to head out to Kolkata for litigations."

The bench will give rapid equity to people of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar in north Bengal, he said.

Residents of these four districts will currently need to travel under 100 km rather than 600 km, he said.

Modi also laid the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Falakata-Salsalabari section of National Highway-31 D.

The 41.7 km-long section of National Highway falls in Jalpaiguri region and will be developed at an expense of about Rs 1938 crore, he said.

The project will reduce the distance from Salsalabari and Alipurduar to Siliguri by about 50 km and will help the travel industry in the district, he said.

The four-laning of the national parkway will encourage better development of tea and other agricultural produce from the district to markets.

These will give a major lift to financial action in north Bengal, opening up work open doors for the local people, Modi said.

The highway will have three railway over bridges, two flyovers, three vehicular underpasses, eight major bridges and 17 minor bridges on this section of the highway.