Siliguri, Sept. 14 -- Ahead of the Durga Puja festivities, new passenger facilities, a dormitory and a waiting lounge, were inaugurated at the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus in Siliguri on Monday. The facilities were inaugurated by Anandamay Barman, Minister of State for Transport and Finance. The new services have been introduced by the North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) to improve passenger amenities at the busy terminus.
The dormitory, located on the second floor of the terminus, has 14 beds for men and six for women. A separate four-bed staff dormitory has also been set up for NBSTC employees. Passengers can use the dormitory for 12 hours at a cost of Rs. 300, with booking available at the terminus.
The waiting lounge with 29 three-seater sofas has also been opened, providing passengers with a more comfortable space to wait. The lounge is equipped with televisions and mobile charging facilities. A VIP lounge has also been introduced, where passengers can sit for Rs. 20 per hour. Authorities said air-conditioning facilities would be added to some of the lounges in the coming days.
Barman said: "The new facilities are being introduced in phases in response to long-standing demands from passengers. Slowly we will fulfill other demands too."
He also announced that NBSTC would organise a Puja Parikrama on September 14 and 15, allowing passengers to visit various Durga Puja pandals in AC and non-AC buses. Food arrangements will also be made for passengers.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.