GTA launches trekkers’ trail from Darjeeling Chowrasta to Tiger Hill

EOI, DARJEELING, MAY 29, 2023 : The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration on Monday launched a trail route for trekkers, naming it the Tenzing Norgay route, to  mark  the  109th  birth anniversary of the legendary mountaineer and 70 years of ascent of Mount Everest. 

The route will start at Chowrasta in Darjeeling and end at Tiger Hill, covering roughly 12 kms. 

"It is not a new route, but was closed years back. The route covers areas like Toongsoong, Aloobari, Rungthung and Rangeroon,"said Dawa Gyalpo Sherpa, chief coordinator of  the adventure tourism department of the GTA.Tenzing Norgay made the summit of Everest on May 29, 1953, with Edmund Hillary. 

A year down the line in 1954, Norgay was made the field director of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. The route was first opened by Norgay for trainees of the HMI.  "He (Norgay) would take the HMI trainees for trekking in this route, but it was closed later for unforeseen reasons.   

However, from today we have officially reopened the route," said the GTA adventure tourism chief  coordinator.

Expert trekkers will only take around five hours to cover the 12 km stretch, while the amateurs could take a full day. 

"We have plans to open new routes for adventure and outdoor enthusiasts. Trekking is a healthy activity. Also, we feel if tourists trek instead of using vehicles, the traffic congestion problem could be solved to a large extent," said Sherpa. 

The HMI also organized a programme to mark the legendary mountaineer's birth anniversary and 70 years of summit of Everest. The  demand for conferring Norgay with the prestigious Bharat Ratna award  was  raised by the Sherpa community and mountaineering group during the event. 

"Since 2011, we have been demanding Bharat Ratna for Norgay. We raised issue with the  West Bengal Governor and chief minister and also the Darjeeling MP. It is sad that we have to make demand, when western countries are naming roads after the mountaineer," said P T Sherpa of the Sherpa Association.

Echoing similar sentiments, B.S.Sinha from a mountaineering group from Kolkata said: "Norgay is the first person to have achieved the feat of reaching the summit of Everest with Hillary. He had to face a lot of obstacles while doing this. We feel he qualifies for getting the Bharat Ratna which is our demand.

"HMI Principal, Group Captain Jai Kishan expressed optimism of the Government conferring the Bharat Ratna to Norgay. 

"In the past he has been given many awards. We feel that due acknowledgement should be given to him. In the coming days we hope he will get it," he said. 

Hill citizens offered flowers and khadas to Norgay's samadhi and statue installed in the HMI premise. Norgay was born in 1914  and  died  on  May  9,1986, in Darjeeling.