Eight Families Rehabilitated as Kalimpong’s Long-Awaited 9th Mile Transport Hub Moves Towards Completion

KalimNews, Kalimpong, June 13, 2026: A major milestone in Kalimpong’s urban infrastructure development was achieved at 9th Mile near the Novelty Cinema Hall, where Darjeeling MP Raju Bista formally handed over the keys of a newly constructed four-storey residential building to eight rehabilitated families whose relocation was crucial for the completion of the long-awaited bus stand and transport facility project.

The project, which forms part of the proposed Novelty Car Parking and Bus Stand Facility, has a long and complex history spanning more than two decades. The concept of developing a modern bus stand and parking complex at 9th Mile dates back to the period when C.K. Kumai served as Chairman of the Kalimpong Municipality during the GNLF era. Recognising the growing traffic congestion and lack of organised parking facilities in Kalimpong town, municipal authorities had identified the site as a strategic location for a future transport hub.

However, the project remained largely on paper for several years before receiving fresh momentum under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA). In 2013, the GTA formally sanctioned the project with an estimated cost of ₹17 crore and targeted its completion by 2015. Despite the ambitious plans, progress was hampered by land acquisition challenges, rehabilitation issues, and local encroachments affecting nearly 40 per cent of the land required for the project.

Construction advanced only partially over the years. The ground floor structure, designed to accommodate buses, was completed, but further work stalled because access ramps to the upper levels could not be built without relocating several families residing on the project site.

A major breakthrough came in 2023 when the Kalimpong Municipality and the GTA jointly cleared the way for the project's completion by approving a rehabilitation plan for the affected residents. Tenders were subsequently floated for the construction of a dedicated residential building at a cost of ₹1.31 crore to accommodate the eight families whose homes stood in the path of the proposed ramps.

By 2024-25, construction of the ramps had resumed and the multi-level transport facility moved significantly closer to completion.

Meanwhile, the rehabilitation process finally reached its conclusion on June 13, 2026, when the eight families were formally handed over the keys to their new homes. Each family received a secure flat in the newly constructed four-storey residential building built exclusively for their rehabilitation.

Officials noted that although the residential building had been completed earlier, procedural and administrative delays had prevented the formal allotment of the flats. The key handover ceremony therefore marked the completion of a crucial phase of the project that had remained pending for years.

Speaking on the occasion, Bista described the handover as more than a routine administrative exercise. He said the families had made a significant sacrifice by vacating their homes and land to facilitate a public infrastructure project that would benefit the entire town.

He acknowledged their patience and cooperation throughout the prolonged process and stated that the rehabilitation represented a long-overdue measure of justice for families who had contributed to Kalimpong’s development.

Bista further noted that the completion of the Novelty Car Parking and Bus Stand Facility would substantially improve urban mobility, reduce traffic congestion, and strengthen Kalimpong’s position as a key transportation hub in the hills.

The event also underscored a broader vision of development that seeks to balance infrastructure expansion with the rehabilitation, dignity, and welfare of affected residents, ensuring that progress benefits both the town and its people.