EARLY CLOSURE BLUES FOR TOURISTS IN DARJEELING

Amitava Banerjee, HT, DARJEELING: It was a testing time for Dinabandhu Bose from Kolkata. Despite frantically knocking the doors of different eateries at around 10 pm in Darjeeling town, his family did not get anything to eat. As the hotel they were putting up in did not have a restaurant, the Bose family had to spend the night surviving on bread, butter, chips and fruit juices which they managed to procure at a local pan shop.

“Arriving from the scorching heat of Kolkata we decided to spend the early part of the evening at a pub. At around 10pm we wound up our “adda” session. On inquiring at the counter as to where we would get dinner, the pub owner told us that we should hurry lest we have to go without dinner. At first I thought he was joking. This was peak tourist season. However, later it proved to be true,” said Bose.

The eateries told him that as the time for the last order had already expired, their kitchens had closed. “We were lucky to buy bread, chips and soft drinks otherwise we would have to go hungry. It was really a nightmare with young kids around,” added Bose.

This is not a one-of-its-kind incident in the Queen of the Hills. Majority of the tourists, especially first-time visitors face this problem. Though in other Hill stations of the country including Shimla, Kulu, Manali shops and restaurants remain open till late at night, in Darjeeling there is hardly any night life. Even during peak tourist season shops close down early. By 10.30 pm streets are deserted.

“All this is owing to the political strife that Darjeeling has witnessed time and again. Before the violent Gorkhaland agitation of the 80s, shops used to remain open till late at night. People would be out on the streets till late during tourist season. Cinema halls used to run night shows and people used to return home around midnight. Everything changed post the 80’s agitation,” said Dawa Sherpa, a septuagenarian resident of the town.

“We need better lit streets. Chowrasta, Nehru Road and Ladenla Road have to be well lit. Darkness leads to insecurity and roads are deserted. The restaurants don’t want to remain open with only a few stragglers walking in. Police patrolling during tourist season would also help in projecting an air of security. If there are people on the roads both eateries and other shops will definitely remain open till late at night,” said Ajoy Edward, restaurateur.

Brij Mohan Garg, president, Darjeeling Chamber of Commerce said, “Along with street lighting and police patrolling, there has to be help kiosks for tourists and late night taxis to ply them back to their hotels. Taxis usually disappear from the roads after 9pm. If these things are taken care of we can request shops to remain open till late at night.”

Raj Basu, convenor, Association for Conservation and Tourism (ACT) blames it on the hill culture of “Sunrise to sunset.” He added, “For rural tourism it is not a problem. However, if an urban area shuts down by 10 pm then it can inconvenience tourists.”