West Bengal plans container homes in Sandakphu, 100 tourist hubs to boost North Bengal tourism

Kolkata: In a bid to boost the tourism in North Bengal, West Bengal government will set up 10 container-homes for tourists in North Bengal's Sandakphu and 100 boutique-styled tourist Information centres across the hills, Dooars and Malda , offering tourist information, accommodations, modern cafes and food joints, local cuisines indigenous handicrafts under one roof.

Sandakphu is a mountain peak in the Singalila Ridge on the border between India and Nepal. It is known to be the highest point of West Bengal.

“The Container Homes, which will be state government owned, will facilitate tourists in Sandakphu hills with modern infrastructure. There will be a special medical team in place to aid the tourists in the high altitude,” Nisith Pramanik, the North Bengal Development Department minister told ET. The DPR for both the projects are being prepared. Land Cruisers and other vehicles suitable for the high hill terrain will be acquired by the state government to ferry tourists to the top.


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Altogether 10 such special container homes for tourists will be started in Sandakphu hills, the minister told ET.

Like capsule houses, the Container Homes are popular in Japan, the minister said, adding that. “Modern container homes will be installed in Sandakphu with coffee shops, medical centres.”

There is an attempt to modernize and create infrastructure in North Bengal to boost tourism and enhance revenue growth, the minister said. “With 100 Tourist Information Centres, ranging from Malda (Gour Banga), which is rich in cultural heritage to Doors and the hills, from Kalimpong to Darjeeling, Alipurduar, known for its forests, the nature of the Tourist Information Centres will changes, reflecting rich cultural heritage and North Bengal's tourism will get a new facelift. There will be employment generation, and local self-help groups will be roped in to run the food joints with local cuisine, like tribal food, and indigenous items, arts and crafts, will be sold there,” the minister said.

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The Tourist Information Centres with lodging facilities and every district will have their unique art and culture and cuisine. The food and indigenous art 7 crafts sold in Malda will be different from Kalimpong or Doors.