TRADE SEEKS CM'S HELP ...Tour alarm on Tiger Hill curbs

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, 31 Aug 2019, Siliguri: A decision by Darjeeling district police to restrict the number of vehicles which would ferry tourists to Tiger Hill has prompted stakeholders of the tourism industry to seek the intervention of chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

The decision, which the police intend to implement from September 1, might restrict the inflow of tourists, fear the stakeholders.

A substantial number of tourists would be unable to visit Tiger Hill at dawn and it might discourage a section of them from visiting Darjeeling, they pointed out.

Of late, the district police have started taking initiatives to resolve the problem of traffic congestion that has been plaguing Darjeeling town and surroundings, particularly during the tourist season.

The police have taken a number of decisions, including one to allow the entry of only 300 vehicles in Tiger Hill in a day, for which the vehicles will have to obtain a pass a day in advance.

"We always support the initiatives taken to decongest Darjeeling town but this restriction, we apprehend, will have a direct impact on tourism. During the peak tourist seasons, around 1,800 vehicles carry tourists to Tiger Hill every day. Among these include both domestic and foreign tourists.

"If a ceiling is put on the number of vehicles, it would affect the economic growth of Darjeeling and can create confusion and even lead to harassment of tourists. That is why, we have written to the chief minister, seeking her intervention," said Samrat Sanyal, general secretary, Himalayan Hospitality & Tourism Development Network.

The representatives of HHTDN have also pointed that the police have also decided that Batasia Loop -- known for the famous loop of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway track and the war memorial -- will open at 10am for visitors.

"Tiger Hill, Batasia Loop and Ghoom Monastery are popular destinations located on the southern end of Darjeeling town. That is why tourists, while returning from Tiger Hill in early morning, visit these places and later visit sites (like HMI and zoo) which are at the northern end of the town. But with this change, they will have to go to southern end again to visit Batasia loop. This would lead to haphazard vehicle movement and add to traffic congestion," a tour operator said.

State tourism minister Gautam Deb said he was aware of the directive. "I will speak with the district magistrate, the superintendent of police and other officials concerned. We are expecting a huge turnout of tourists in the coming months and we will see to it that tourists face no inconvenience," Deb said..