Siliguri, July 3: Eight new expresses have been announced for north Bengal with promises of tracks on a few stretches — one even connecting Mirik to Gangtok.

Among the additions are a train to Calcutta from New Jalpaiguri and another to Delhi. What came as a pleasant surprise to many was Mamata Banerjee’s announcement of a daily express from Balurghat in South Dinajpur to New Jalpaiguri and a weekly train between New Jalpaiguri and Digha. A demand of the residents of the Dooars — a train between Alipurduar and New Jalpaiguri via Siliguri — has also been met (see chart).

Two trains from Farakka — one to New Delhi and another to Nabadwip Dham — are expected to benefit the people of Malda. They can avail of the trains by reaching Farakka, 30km away.

“Many of our demands have been fulfilled,” said Biswajit Das, the general secretary of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, North Bengal. “It is a good budget and we feel the railway network will improve in the coming years.”

Three new weekly trains — New-Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani Express via Muzaffarpur, Kamakhya-Puri Express and the Dibrugarh Town-Chandigarh Express — for the Northeast will pass through north Bengal. The frequency of 2423/2424 New Delhi-Guwahati Rajdhani has been increased from five to six days and the Ranchi-Alipurduar Express has been extended to Guwahati.

“Apart from the new trains, we are looking forward to seeing an improvement in infrastructure and construction of multi-facility complexes in Darjeeling and Alipurduar,” said Suresh Periwal, the chairman of the north Bengal and Sikkim chapter of the Indian Association of Tour Operators.

The railway minister has also said New Jalpaiguri will be one of the 50 in the country, which will be made world class. Ten halts in north Bengal will be made Adarsh stations (see chart).

Proposals have also been made to lay tracks on the Balurghat-Hilli, Samsi-Dalkhola, Kaliaganj-Buniadpur, Chalsa-Jaldhaka and Mirik-Gangtok stretches.

“It is nice to learn that the new railway minister is considering the proposal to start rail services in Sikkim,” said S.K. Sarda, the president of the Sikkim Chambers of Commerce. “We hope work on the Sevoke-Rangpo route will begin soon. This will facilitate goods transport since the trade route to China through Nathu-la has opened.”