Hills accidents: Operators, homestays to educate tourists

Zeeshan Javed, TNN, KOLKATA: Tour operators in the Hills have decided to rope in homestays in Darjeeling to educate tourists on the precautionary measures to avoid accidents when touring the Hills by cautioning them from travelling at night and providing contact details of registered tour operators and car hire companies. The operators have also urged tourists to hire vehicles that are fit and do not overload or travel at night.

The umbrella body of the operators in the Hills will also use social media to reach out to the tourists and sensitise them about the rules to prevent accidents. Five tourists from the northern fringes of Kolkata died when their SUV plunged in a100ft-deep gorge at Tinzerbongin in West Sikkim on Monday night. Police later said the group was travelling at night and the driver tried to overtake another vehicle and failed to negotiate a bend and plunged into the gorge.

“We want all concerned to be alert and follow the rules to prevent such accidents,” said Tushar Ghosh, executive president of the Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators’ Association. “Several tourists tend to travel at night which is very risky. There are homestays now in several remote locations in the Hills which we are trying to rope in to spread more awareness among the tourists,” said Ghosh.

The involvement of homestays becomes more crucial as most people availing homestays are independent tourists travelling without the help of any tour operator. Many of them tend to undertake adventure trips at night and hire local vehicles.

“We will request our guests not to travel after sunset. We will also provide contact details of authorised travel operators and car hire companies for the guests’ safety,” said Prasant Pradhan, general secretary of the Himalayan Homestay Owners’ Association.

During the season when there is a scarcity of vehicles, tourists tend to hire even those vehicles which may do not meet the safety standards.

“This is a huge risk which tourists take at an alarming rate. We have been requesting the tourists not to take such risks. To engage them we are planning several activities in the evening,” said Sonam Rai owner of a homestay in Mirik.

Times View

Sikkim is an important tourist destination for Kolkata and Bengal. The last few months have seen several tragedies. Accidents can happen despite all precautions being taken but it is imperative that tourists adopt safe travel practices as advised by government and industry bodies.