The Bengal tourism department is preparing a ₹100-crore development plan for Mirik in Darjeeling district as part of its strategy to strengthen tourism infrastructure in line with the Centre’s “One State, One Destination” policy.

A detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared for the picturesque hill town, around 50km from Siliguri, with the focus on improving infrastructure, beautifying the lake area and introducing new tourism activities.

State tourism minister Shankar Ghosh said the initiative gathered momentum after his recent meeting with Union tourism minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

“Following my meeting with the Union tourism minister, we are preparing a DPR for Mirik with an estimated outlay of ₹100 crore. Darjeeling has already been identified in the state budget for a ‘world tourist destination’. Under the Centre’s policy, every state has to identify one destination. However, considering West Bengal’s geographical diversity, I have requested the Union minister to consider including at least one more destination,” Ghosh told reporters after attending a business conclave organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BNCI) in Siliguri on Sunday.

Nestled around a scenic lake and surrounded by tea gardens and orange orchards, Mirik has emerged as a popular destination for visitors seeking a quieter alternative to Darjeeling.

Ghosh said the proposed project would focus on beautifying Mirik Lake, improving tourist accommodations and introduce activity-based tourism to attract more visitors.

“Also, tourism projects are being prepared in phases. Similar initiatives are also planned for Kalimpong. Our objective is to promote Darjeeling as a nature and adventure tourism destination. Likewise, Digha has been identified for marine tourism and the Sundarbans as a low-carbon green tourism destination,” he said.

The minister added that the tourism department was developing a dedicated mobile application that would register tourism stakeholders and provide visitors with seamless access to tourism-related services.

Ghosh said the state budget had laid special emphasis on the development of north Bengal’s tourism infrastructure.

“I received several suggestions from the Union tourism minister during our meeting, which we will examine. Our aim is to strengthen tourism infrastructure and generate employment so that tourism becomes one of the major drivers of the economy in north Bengal,” he said.

Helpline for visitors

The Siliguri Metropolitan Police launched a dedicated tourist helpline (9800242426) to assist visitors travelling through Siliguri. The police also introduced a new traffic marshals wing, whose personnel will patrol the city on two-wheelers to aid traffic and tourists.

Minister Ghosh, who formally launched the helpline, said the tourism department would also introduce its own dedicated tourist assistance helpline in the near future.