Shiliguri, city in northern India, in northern Bangla state. Shiliguri is located in the Tarai region of the southern Himalayas, west of the Mahananda River. The city has sawmills and plywood factories, which are supplied by the Tarai forests. Trade and transportation are the most important activities in Shiliguri. The city acts as a strategic link between the northeast and the rest of India. It is also a transportation hub connecting the plains to the south with the mountains to the north. A particularly important route runs from Jalpaiguri in the south to the northern hill city of Darjiling (Darjeeling). There are several major railways and national highways serving Shiliguri. The Toy Train, which is primarily a tourist train, is pulled by ancient steam engines; it runs from Shiliguri to Dajiling up a steep mountain track with famous views. The city has access to a domestic airport in nearby Baghdogra. Shiliguri was officially recognized as a city in 1931. It received an influx of refugees when Pakistan broke off from India in 1947 and again when neighboring Bangladesh—then a province of Pakistan—became independent in 1971. Population (1991) 216,950.
