Siliguri

Siliguri, West Bengal, India

Siliguri, also spelled Shiliguri, city, northern West Bengal state, northeastern India. It lies just west of the Mahananda River.

Siliguri: local market

Siliguri is the terminus of the roads from Kalimpang (Kalimpong) and Sikkim and of road and rail connections with Darjiling (Darjeeling) and Jalpaiguri and is the hub for trade with Darjiling, Sikkim, and Tibet (China). Sawmilling and jute milling are important industries; there are also tea plantations in the vicinity. It was declared a municipality in 1931, and it has several colleges affiliated with the University of North Bengal (established 1962), the main campus of which is situated just west of the city. After partition of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1947 and the creation of Bangladesh in 1971, the city became a crowded refugee centre. It has grown in strategic importance because of its proximity to international borders. Pop. (2001) 472,374; (2011) 513,264.