Bengal Govt plans a new road near Bhutan border to boost trade and tourism

Kolkata, Dec 26: West Bengal government is planning to build a road near the border 

of Bhutan to boost trade and tourism.
The detailed project report (DPR) and the feasibility report have already been submitted to the concerned department, a senior state tourism official today said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee always stresses on the fact that Bengal is the gateway to Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and the states of north-eastern India.
The 18 km road will run from Birpara in Alipurduar to Langkapara in Jalpaiguri (Madarihat block), on the border with Bhutan, and will cost Rs 136 crore. Tenders will be floated soon. 
The road will be crossed by three bridges. The entire road will be two-laned.
Economically, the region was once solely dependent on tea gardens. Over the years, 
though, Birpara has become a major trading hub of the region. In fact, it is now the most important trading town in the Dooars region of Alipurduar district. It is connected by road and railway to different regions of the country. Asian Highway 48 connects Birpara to Siliguri and Jalpaiguri in one direction, and directly to Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan, in the other.
The building of the road will also be a major impetus to developing the tourism infrastructure of the region. UNI