To ease load, new depot near Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus

Kolkata: In a bid to transform the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus in Siliguri to international standard, the state government has decided to build another bus terminus in its vicinity to shift the entire operations of private buses.

The state Transport department has taken up the initiative following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's direction to develop Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus to an international standard. During her recent visit to North Bengal, she had given directions to take steps for the development of the terminus as thousands of tourists from different parts of the country and abroad visit the terminus to take buses to Kolkata or other parts of the state.

At present, more than 600 buses, both state-run and private, operate from Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus. It also includes more than 300 buses of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC).

Now, the decision has been taken to shift the operations of the private buses from Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus to the new one. The new terminus will come up on a plot of around 6 acre which is situated at a distance of just around 1 km from the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus.

An official of the state Transport department said: "If everything goes as planned, then all private buses, which are more than 300 in number, will be plying from the new terminus. At the same time, the local buses that are operated by NBSTC will also be operating from the new terminus."

He further said: "Only long distance buses of NBSTC will be operating from Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus. The step is essential to take Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus to international standards. So with the completion of the construction of the new terminus, the load on the existing terminus will reduce and it will help in bringing an overall improvement in the service."

"People who want to take state-run long distance buses will no more have to toil at all to search for their buses as no more private buses will be operating from the terminus," the official said.

The official further said that the work to prepare the detailed project report of the new terminus is going on and the work will start soon if everything goes as planned.

At the same time, the work of giving a facelift to Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus will also start soon. The state government has allotted more than Rs 73 lakh for the work. Major electrical works will also be taken up in the terminus besides carrying out the necessary renovation works.