Three new police stations carved out of the Kalimpong police station started functioning on Thursday, around six months after the demand for the trifurcation had been taken up with chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

The three new police stations are at Lava, Reang and Pedong in Kalimpong district.

Songmit Lepcha, the DIG of the Darjeeling range, Kalimpong superintendent of police Aparajita Rai and other law enforcement officers supervised the commencement of the functioning of the three new stations on Thursday. “From today, the public can start registering their FIRs/ GDEs, missing complaints etc at these new police stations,” said a senior officer.

The Kalimpong district had been created on February 14, 2017. The district had police stations only at Kalimpong, Gorubathan and Jaldhaka until now.

“During the chief minister’s last visit to Darjeeling, the pending proposal for the trifurcation of the existing Kalimpong police station and the problems faced by the public were brought to her notice,” said a senior officer.

Mamata had last visited Darjeeling in July 2022.

Sources said the process of implementing the proposal had then progressed quickly and a government order for the trifurcation of the Kalimpong police station was issued.

“Financial sanction for the upgrade of buildings has been obtained and the work has started. A proposal for additional manpower has already been mooted and is under process,” said a source.

The formal inauguration of the new police stations will take place after the completion of the civil work, said the source.

Rehabilitation

Kalimpong police, in association with the Himalayan Anti Aids & Anti Narcotic Drugs Society, Kalimpong, has started a rehabilitation programme christened Shudhi. Calcutta-based Super Shakti Foundation donated Rs 8 lakh to the initiative recently.