After the dissolution of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) municipal board, IAS officer R. Vimala has taken over as the new administrator of the civic body in north Bengal. She officially assumed her role on Tuesday afternoon at the municipal corporation office. The West Bengal government appointed her to this position on Monday evening following the resignation of veteran Trinamool Congress leader Gautam Deb as the Siliguri Mayor.
R. Vimala, who serves as the Principal Secretary of the North Bengal Development department, has been appointed as the new administrator at the SMC with immediate effect for a tenure of six months. Her immediate focus is on addressing the issue of waterlogging in various wards and neighborhoods of Siliguri city due to continuous rainfall. She emphasized the importance of ensuring uninterrupted civic services and has already engaged with relevant officials to address the challenges posed by the monsoon season.
Upon assuming her new role, R. Vimala has prioritized addressing the waterlogging and drainage issues in Siliguri city. She has conducted discussions with officials from concerned departments to formulate urgent solutions to these problems. SMC Commissioner Ashwini Roy, along with officers from various departments and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Coordinators, welcomed the new SMC administrator at the Municipal Corporation.
Leader of Opposition Amit Jain expressed optimism about collaborating with the new administrator for the city’s development. He highlighted the importance of resolving key issues such as water storage, roads, and the drainage system. The board of administrators, in consultation with public representatives and councillors of Siliguri city, including former Mayor Gautam Deb, aims to swiftly address existing challenges and expedite ongoing development projects.
