Tourism in north Bengal’s picturesque Dooars region got a major boost, as a bus service was introduced between Jaigaon, the bustling town on the India–Bhutan border in Alipurduar, and Calcutta on Sunday.
This is also the first-ever Volvo sleeper bus service from any part of the Dooars connecting Jaigaon directly with Calcutta. So far, similar buses have been operating in north Bengal only between Siliguri and Calcutta.
“We introduced the bus service today. Each bus has a capacity of 34 passengers. Every day, a pair of buses will run between Jaigaon and Calcutta. We intend to start similar services from Alipurduar and Cooch Behar,” said Kishore Kirtania, one of the owners of Rubi Paribahan, the private transport firm that launched the service.
The bus from Jaigaon leaves at 4pm to reach Calcutta the next morning, and the one from Calcutta departs at 5pm.
With this new route, travel between Calcutta and Phuentsholing — a border town in Bhutan — will become much easier for tourists. Currently, reaching Phuentsholing is challenging for travellers who rely on a combination of trains and road commute.
The only train connecting Calcutta and the Dooars is the Kanchankanya Express, which is often fully booked during tourist seasons. Most visitors travel to New Jalpaiguri by train and hire vehicles to reach popular destinations like Lataguri, Gorumara, Malbazar and Chalsa.
The new bus service will eliminate much of this inconvenience. It will stop at Madarihat, Birpara, Binnaguri, Chalsa, Lataguri and Mainaguri — making travel seamless and more comfortable.
Both buses have fully air-conditioned cabins, cell phone charging points, bio-toilets and sleeping berths.
“Two complimentary meals are provided during the journey. The one-way fare has been fixed at around ₹2,000 per person,” said a source.
Tourism stakeholders believe that this new service will benefit both tourists and locals, aiding tourism and economic activity in the region.
“For any kind of development, improvement of communication is essential. The administration, state government and the Jaigaon Development Authority have extended strong support to make this initiative possible,” said Samrat Sanyal, general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network.