CM to lay foundation stone of Siliguri Mahakal temple on Jan 16
Times of India | 15 January 2026
Kolkata/Siliguri: The Bengal govt has allocated Rs 344.2 crore to construct the proposed Mahakal Mahatirtha temple at Matigara in Siliguri, the highest such allocation for a temple complex in the state. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will lay the foundation stone of the project on Jan 16, state govt sources said.
Earlier, the Rs 250 crore Jagannath temple complex in Digha was inaugurated by CM Mamata Banerjee on April 30 last year. The foundation stone of ‘Durga Angan'—a Durga temple complex in New Town, pegged at Rs 262 crore—was also laid by the CM on Dec 29 last year.
Sources from the state secretariat said that the Mahakal Mahatirtha is likely to be among the largest Shiva temples in India. "It will be a temple complex with a large Shiva idol and a convention centre planned within the complex. The project is to be executed on a 17.4-acre plot in the north-western fringes of Siliguri at Matigara," said a govt official.
Last-minute preparations are on to level the ground with earth movers. Senior officials of West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO) and the district administration are overseeing preparations for Friday's event.
HIDCO has initiated the process to invite bids. Sources from the state secretariat said that this would be the 3rd religious-cultural complex to be set up and executed by HIDCO after the Jagannath temple in Digha and the upcoming ‘Durga Angan' in New Town.
Secretary of the Mahakal Mandir Puja Committee and Welfare Society, Kishore Gazmer, said the committee received an invitation for the ceremony on Friday and that a representative from the Darjeeling Mahakal Temple would attend the event.
"This initiative will help strengthen faith and belief among devotees. While there may be both positive and critical views, the project will serve as a landmark and reflect the spiritual significance of our revered hill temple in the foothills as well. It will also create a strong cultural and spiritual connection between the Hills and the plains," Gazmer said.