23 NEW ROUTES TO BE OPENED IN HILLS, DOOARS More trekking options for tourists

TT, Jalpaiguri: The state forest department has identified 23 new trekking routes across Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar to be opened with all facilities ahead of the next tourist season starting next month..

Adventure enthusiasts travelling to the region will have a number of new options to trek and explore in the hills and foothills, that can help increase the inflow of foreign tourists into the circuit..

So far, only a few routes,like the Maneybhyanjyan-Sandakphu-Phalut route in Darjeeling and the Santal-abari-Buxa Fort route in Alipurduar, were known to tourists for trekking..

“ We have decided to open these new routes to provide more and better options to trekkers. These routes are of varying distances. While some routes are meant for day visits, there are routes where trekkers will have to spent a night or two in homestays or in accommodations of our department, ” said MR Baloch, the additional principal chief conservator of forests (north Bengal).Among the routes, include Santalabari to Rupam Valley, Lepchakha and Pamse, all located close to Bhutan hills in Alipurduar and Chamurchi Mahakal route in Jalpaiguri.

In Darjeeling district, some of the routes which have been identified include Chowrasta to Rangaroon, Dilaram-Chatakpur, Sonada-Chatakpur, Maneybhanjan-TongluDhotrey.

Similarly, Lava-Rachela, Lava-Kolakham, Lava-Rishop, Todey-Tangta to Rachela, are some of the routes identified in Kalimpong district.

"Most of these routes pass through reserve forests, including national parks like Singalila and wildlife sanctuaries like Senchal. The vegetation is varied and several species of birds and even wild animals can be sighted in these routes. Along with the enthralling landscapes, flora and fauna are the added attractions which would draw adventure enthusiasts in these treks," said Bhaskar Das, a mountaineer and adventurist based in Jalpaiguri.

Das pointed that the number of adventure tourists are on the rise in north Bengal.

"We have conducted trekking and mountaineering expeditions of foreign groups in northern India. There are several routes. If such varied routes, each of which has unique attractions, can be opened here, it would surely give a huge boost to the tourism industry," he added.

Sources at the forest department said soon, the department will publish information of the routes, accommodations available in such routes, attractions and other details.

"Those interested can make bookings online or manually at the office of the concerned divisional forest officer. We will provide guides and forest guards for the trek. A group of minimum five people to maximum 25 people would be required to book a trek," said a source.

During the trip, the trekkers will be briefed by guides on the plants and animals fauna which would be sighted along the route. They would be taken to viewpoints and natural water bodies, said sources.