GTA resumes boating in Darj park

Boating has started again at Gangamaya Park after a period of three years

SNS, DARJEELING, 20 OCTOBER 2020 : With tourists starting to make a comeback in the Hills after the lockdowns, popular activities in Darjeeling like boating have resumed under instructions from the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration's (GTA) Tourism Department.

As part of this initiative, boating services resumed at the Gangamaya Park, around 12 km away from here.

"Boating has started again at Gangamaya Park after a period of three years. It had been closed ever since the agitation in the year 2017," GTA Assistant Tourism Director Suraj Sharma said.

According to Mr Sharma, when the hills were shut for more than three months during the Gorkhaland agitation in 2017, rain along with siltation had damaged the lake there, which has now been repaired.

Along with that, he said that due to the approach road there remaining in bad shape, drivers took tourists only up to Rock Garden, around 4 km above the park. The approach road has also been repaired now.

"At present, we have started with three boats. Tourists are flocking in, but only a handful of them, and we hope that more will come soon, after which we will add two more boats," he said, adding that the fee for a boat ride there is Rs 50 for 15 minutes.

According to Mr Sharma, boating at Jamuney, around 20 km from Darjeeling town, is also scheduled t o resume on Friday.

"There will be four boats there. Boating has also started recently in Mirik lake with eight boats there," he said.