POLICE ANNOUNCE SEVERAL MEASURES AFTER PUBLIC FEEDBACK.....Open house to ease Darjeeling traffic ache

VIVEK CHHETRI - 25 Aug 2019, Darjeeling: The Darjeeling administration held a brainstorming session at the Chowrastha and took several decisions that promise to ease the town's traffic woes.

"The objective of the session is to come up with solutions in consultation with all stakeholders," Amarnath K., the Darjeeling superintendent of police, said.

Anit Thapa, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chairman who also attended the session, announced after feedback from the public that shops on the top-floor of a seven-storied parking plaza near the Darjeeling Government College would be dismantled to accommodate more cars.

The Telegraph had earlier reported that the shuttered shops were unnecessarily taking up space when Darjeeling town is struggling to find for parking space.

The crowd suggested that once the shops are dismantled, taxis now parked on the rooftop of the Old Barrack Market be shifted and the space be spared for paid parking of private vehicles.

Rahul Pandey, DSP (town), suggested a restriction on the number of vehicles headed to Tiger Hill. "During the tourist season, an estimated 700 vehicles go to Tiger Hill and even if one takes an average length of 4 metres, the total tail extends to 3km," said Pandey.

Taxi operators suggested an alternative route at Tiger Hill be repaired and a oneway system be introduced there.

A suggestion that Batasia Loop be opened only after 10am and vehicles coming from Tiger Hill to Darjeeling be routed through INA Bypass-Gandhi Road drew wide appreciated.

Some of the major decisions taken during the session include: Restriction on movement of heavy vehicles from 7am to 7pm from September 1 Taxis can pick up and drop passengers from only 11 designated points between town and Ghoom along NH55. Public requested to post videos of erring vehicles Parking along the Lebong, Chitray stretch to be allowed only in designated zones where the road is wide. No vehicle will be allowed to be parked in front of restaurants and food stalls.

Drop-gate near Lal Khoti to regulate traffic flow to the Japanese Temple Zoo has to arrange for its own parking space Big shopping establishments like Big Bazar and Reliance Smart have to develop their own parking space; no vehicle will be allowed in their vicinity Hotels have to come up with garages; they can form clusters for common parking spaces Private vehicle owners should stop roadside parking Municipality requested to draw up a Darjeeling traffic map At the open house session on Saturday, the public also complained that police vehicles were being parked at Dali, creating congestion along that stretch. Many claimed that vehicles hired by the police did not have proper documents.