The North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC), a state-run transport unit, will operate at least half a dozen air-conditioned luxury buses to better connect various north Bengal districts with Digha’s Jagannath Dham — a replica of Puri’s 12th-century shrine — inaugurated by chief minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30.
A source in the transport department said Mamata is likely to announce the route and details of the bus services during her upcoming north Bengal visit, which will begin on Monday.
Mamata will be on a three-day tour to north Bengal from Monday to Wednesday.
“Six AC buses have been sanctioned, and we will receive them within a day or two,” said Partha Pratim Ray, the chairman of the NBSTC.
Though Ray mentioned that the routes would be announced later by the state government, a senior transport department official said all the new buses would connect to Digha.
A senior state government official said the decision to launch the new bus services was prompted by the observation that poor train connectivity from north Bengal to Digha had resulted in low footfall from the region.
“If the bus services begin, people from various north Bengal districts can travel to Digha comfortably. There is a growing demand from these districts for better connectivity to Digha after the temple’s inauguration,” the official said.
Direct bus services are likely to start from districts such as Cooch Behar, North and South Dinajpur, Malda and Jalpaiguri.
A senior district official in East Midnapore said Digha's Jagannath Dham has been witnessing huge footfalls since its inauguration. On weekends, the number ranges between 50,000 and 60,000 a day, while on weekdays it is around 30,000 to 40,000. Since its inauguration, spontaneous donations from devotees have crossed ₹10 lakh as of May 13.
“We have received information that many people from north Bengal are eager to visit the Jagannath temple. However, due to poor transportation, they have been unable to come in large numbers. Direct AC buses from districts will help address this,” the official added.
A senior TMC leader said the initiative to launch luxury bus services to better connect north Bengal with Digha was politically significant.
North Bengal has emerged as a BJP stronghold in recent years. In the 2021 Assembly polls, despite the Mamata government's thumping return to power for the third time in a row, the BJP won 30 out of 54 seats in north Bengal, and in the 2024 general elections, five out of seven Lok Sabha seats.
“The BJP has been actively pushing its Hindutva agenda ahead of next year’s crucial Assembly elections, accusing Mamata of Muslim appeasement. By establishing the Jagannath temple modelled after Puri’s shrine — which holds deep emotional significance for Bengalis — Didi’s message was a direct counter to the BJP’s narrative,” the leader said. "Connecting north Bengal with Digha will help her reach out to the people in the region,” he added.
Many recalled how the BJP and the saffron ecosystem had booked trains to take visitors, including those from Bengal, to Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir after it was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2024, and compared that with Mamata’s initiative for Digha.
“However, the BJP’s effort was a one-off move. In the case of north Bengal, these bus services will operate regularly, offering thousands of people the opportunity to visit the famous Jagannath Dham in Digha,” said a TMC leader.
