CM receives warm welcome upon arriving in Kalimpong

Amitava Banerjee, MP, Darjeeling: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived to a warm welcome on a four day visit to Kalimpong on Monday. Braving the heavy rains, thousands lined up along the route to welcome the Chief Minister.

Along with the Trinamool Congress leaders, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leaders and supporters were present as well. The Chief Minister arrived at Bagdogra and headed straight for Kalimpong.

Welcome gates and flags were put up all along the route. The Singhalila Land Rover Association welcomed her at Teesta and invited her to visit Sandakphu. Members of the various development boards, dressed in traditional attire and carrying traditional musical instruments, accorded her a warm welcome.

TMC and GJM leaders and supporters were present in large numbers, as Banerjee headed for Deolo Tourist Lodge in the outskirts of the town. She will be staying in Deolo during the visit.

On May 29, she will be meeting the members of 15 development and cultural boards constituted by the state government, at 3 pm at Dr Graham's Homes School ground in Kalimpong. The Chief Minister will distribute grants to aid eligible beneficiaries of the boards.

The benefits include houses, community hall, night school, pension for folk artists, drinking water project and a special mountaineering course.

On May 30, she will chair an administrative meeting with administrative and police officers of Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Sources state that issues like GTA elections could be discussed in the administrative meeting.

GTA top brass, including Binay Tamang, chairman, board of administrators, were present at Bagdogra Airport to welcome the Chief Minister. This will be her first visit to Kalimpong after having declared it as a full fledged district on February 14, 2017.