The central government has increased the budget for the revamp of New Jalpaiguri (NJP) station, one of the most important railway stations in the region.
“The project, taken up under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, was initially sanctioned at ₹334 crore, but the cost has been revised to around ₹500 crore to accommodate additional public conveniences and passenger amenities,” said Raju Bista, Darjeeling MP.
Bista on Friday reviewed the ongoing redevelopment work of NJP and said the upgraded facility would transform it into a world-class transit hub for the Darjeeling hills, Terai, Dooars, north Bengal and the Northeast.
According to Bista, the station’s handling capacity will double from the current 60,000 passengers a day to 1.2 lakh once the expansion is complete.
“This upgrade is crucial for meeting the region’s growing travel demand and ensuring smoother operations for commuters,” he added.
Portions of the arrival and departure areas are expected to be completed by March 2026, while the entire project has been targeted for completion by March 2027.
The redesigned station will have an airport-style terminal with a large air concourse, modern waiting lounges and a sleek glass facade. The plan includes 12 escalators, 10 lifts, wider platforms, improved lighting and a separated arrival-departure system to ease congestion, the MP added.
A dedicated Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) section where tourists can board the world heritage toy train to Darjeeling is also planned.
The station will incorporate sustainability features such as solar power and eco-friendly systems, along with enhanced CCTV surveillance and a larger parking zone, said Bista.
Dabgram–Fulbari MLA Sikha Chatterjee, DRM Katihar Kirendra Narah, ARDM Ajay Singh and other senior railway officials were present at the review meeting.