‘New Darjeeling’ plan

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Shorea Park on Thursday. Picture by Kundan Yolmo

Bireswar Banerjee, TT, Siliguri, Sept. 4: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today said the state government was planning to build a “New Darjeeling” close to Algarah in Kalimpong subdivision to attract more tourists to north Bengal.

“We want to build a New Darjeeling close to Algarah in Kalimpong. It is necessary to develop similar tourist destinations like Darjeeling to bring in more tourists,” Mamata told reporters at Shorea Park on the outskirts of Siliguri off NH31 this afternoon.

“Some more sites have been selected by the district magistrates (of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri) as prospective tourist destinations. We will soon discuss the development of these places and take a decision.”

Today, the chief minister was on her way to Bagdogra airport from Kalimpong after a three-day visit to the hills when she stopped at Shorea Park for 15 minutes. The state has taken up a project to put in more facilities at Shorea Park and convert it into Safari Park.

North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb and senior officials from Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts and police officers accompanied Mamata as she walked around Shorea Park and spoke to reporters.

Algarah, around 15km away from Kalimpong town, is a tiny hamlet at an altitude of around 5,800 feet and has a population of about 3,000. The Damsang Fort, which was built by a Lepcha king in 1690, is in Algarah, a junction from which roads lead to Kalimpong, Dooars and Sikkim.

Although, Mamata did not elaborate on her plan to build a “New Darjeeling”, hill residents welcomed the idea. “Darjeeling is getting overcrowded with each passing day. If a planned hill town is developed near Algarah, it would help local people and provide more options to visitors,” Pramod Thapa, a businessman in Darjeeling, said.