Siliguri civic body clears Sikkim government's bus terminus project

The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has granted fresh approval for the Sikkim government's long-pending 'Suswastha Bhawan Sikkim' project, paving the way for the construction of a multi-purpose facility to support Sikkimese patients seeking medical treatment in Siliguri.

According to an official memorandum dated July 3, the civic body reissued approval for exemption of the building plan under the Government Buildings Act, 1899 for the proposed construction of a Basement + Ground + 10-storey Bus Terminus, Healthcare and Guest House Building at the premises of Sikkim Nationalized Transport in Ward No. 3 under the jurisdiction of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation.

The approval was issued by the Commissioner of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and addressed to the Secretary of the Sikkim Transport Department. The fresh clearance follows a communication from the Sikkim government dated March 12, 2025, regarding the withdrawal of an earlier building plan exemption, and refers to a proposal submitted by the Transport Department on December 5, 2024.

The proposed Suswastha Bhawan Sikkim project is intended to provide accommodation and essential support facilities for patients from Sikkim travelling to Siliguri for medical treatment. Besides healthcare and guest house facilities, the project will also include a modern bus terminus.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang welcomed the approval, describing it as a major step towards strengthening regional cooperation and improving healthcare access for the people of the state. He said the project had remained pending for a long time and expressed gratitude to the West Bengal government for facilitating its implementation.

The SMC said the exemption had been accorded with the approval of its Administrator. However, the project will have to comply with the provisions of the West Bengal Municipal Corporation Act, 2006, the West Bengal Municipal (Building) Rules, 2007, and other applicable laws before construction begins.