'Stringent' scan on Sikkim cars

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Mar 9, 2018, Siliguri: The Darjeeling district authorities said on Friday that they would continue to have "stern" stance against commercial vehicles of Sikkim which are entering Bengal, an indication that the row between the two states would continue for some more time.

For the past couple of weeks, the administration and the police have been checking documents of such vehicles in the hills and Siliguri and the surrounding areas.

"There are reports that several commercial vehicles enter from Sikkim every day without proper permit from the authorities concerned. That is why this drive has been initiated. In Sikkim, there is a sharp vigil on the movement of vehicles registered in Bengal. This time, it has been planned to maintain similar vigil here," said a source in the administration.

In north Bengal and particularly in Siliguri and the hills, transporters and other stakeholders of tourism industry used to complain that in Sikkim, vehicles of Bengal were only allowed to go to Gangtok, Namchi and Pelling.

On the other hand, vehicles of Sikkim are moving freely at any place in Bengal, even though the reciprocal agreement on transport between the two states says that Sikkim vehicles could move to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, NJP and Bagdogra, they had pointed out.

"The administration worked on it and found it to be true. This is another reason that the drive has been taken up to prevent flouting of rules," added the source.

Further, the administration here has stopped issuing recommendations, based on which vehicles used to obtain permits from Sikkim.

Once the recommendation lapses, the vehicle cannot enter the neighbouring state.

"If the problem is not sorted immediately, we have to shift tourists at the Bengal-Sikkim border in other vehicles, which would be inconvenient. Tourists visiting Sikkim always face problems because they need to change vehicles a number of times during the trip," said Raj Basu, a veteran in travel trade in the region.

In north Bengal, over 60 per cent of the total expenses of tour goes for transport, said Basu.

"This is a reason that deters the growth of tourism in this region. Now if tourists need to shift at the inter-state border, it would only add to the costs. We feel both states and can sit and resolve the issue. If we can vehicles can run between Bengal and Nepal and Bhutan, there is no reason why it can't be sorted out with Sikkim," he added.

The problem will also affect hundreds of commoners of both the states, who travel to each other's state on different errand.

"Most of the people in Sikkim do not have private vehicles. They are dependent on commercial vehicles. Similarly, many people from Siliguri and north Bengal as a whole go to Sikkim on work. They would also face problems like the tourists," said a transporter based in Siliguri.