The state health department has sanctioned an upgrade for Mirik block hospital to become a sub-divisional facility.

The tender process for the project will begin next month.

“Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had promised long ago to uplift the existing block hospital into a sub-divisional one. The state health department gave its approval recently,” said Arun Sigchi, the executive (health and family welfare department) of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), on Thursday.

A three-storey hospital building will come up on the backyard of the existing block hospital building.

“The existing block hospital has 20 beds. The upgraded facility will have 120 beds, male and female surgical wards, operating theatres, childcare, CT scan, among others. We will also build a block hospital at Panighata,” he said.

The GTA on Thursday also began its Sanjeevani Service in Mirik for remote areas.