Cooch Behar: The Ministry of Railways has initiated a major redevelopment plan for the New Cooch Behar Railway Station, the largest station under the Alipurduar Division. A fund of Rs 50 crore has been allocated to give the station a modern, world-class facelift.
Alipurduar Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Amarjeet Gautam confirmed the development. “New Cooch Behar station will be transformed into a mini world-class station. Rs 50 crore has been sanctioned for the project. The work will commence soon after the tender is floated. It will be implemented in phases, depending on the availability of funds,” he said.
As part of the first phase, the remaining portion of the station building—designed in the style of the historic Rajbari—will be completed. The partially-constructed old building will be demolished to make way for the new structure.
The station revamp will include installation of advanced lighting systems, upgraded platforms, designated entry and exit points, VIP lodges and a variety of food outlets. Enhanced security measures will also be implemented to ensure safety across the premises.
According to Railway sources, the concept of turning the station into a world-class hub was initially proposed in 2023 with a budget of Rs 250 crore. Although a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared and a two-phase plan was outlined, work did not begin at the time.
Interestingly, the Rajbari-style station building was originally conceptualised in the 2012-13 financial year during the UPA government tenure. The actual proposal was made by the former Railway minister and current Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee under the UPA government two years ago to conceptualise the project. However, the project was left incomplete midway and remained stalled for nearly a decade.
New Cooch Behar sees daily footfall of 5,000 to 8,000 passengers and handles over 50 trains daily. Local residents are optimistic that this long-awaited project will significantly improve travel and infrastructure in the region.