Uproar over stalls at Darjeeling Chowrasta for tourism festiva

On Monday the civic body started construction of temporary stalls at Chowrasta, apparently to organize the Darjeeling Tourist Shopping Festival. Immediately

Photos Courtesy: Prolad Roka , FB

EOI, DARJEELING, APRIL 30, 2024 :  The decision by the Darjeeling Municipality to organize a tourism festival at Chowrasta has raised protests from social organizations, political parties and environmentalists. 

On Monday the civic body started construction of temporary stalls at Chowrasta, apparently to organize the Darjeeling Tourist Shopping Festival. Immediately, various social organizations were up in arms to protest against the construction of the temporary stalls, saying it would disturb the serenity and peace of Chowrasta which was the only open space and most popular promenade of the town. 

On Tuesday the Hamro Party lent support to the protest by the social organizations and non government organizations, and staged a day long demonstration at Chowrasta led by HP President Ajoy Edwards, demanding removal of the structures. 

HP central committee leader and former chairman of Darjeeling Municipality Ritesh Portel said: “It is not a political protest in nature. Different social organizations are protesting. We are only lending our support". 

He alleged that construction work was damaging Chowrasta."Tiles have been laid in Chowrasta. 

However, holes are being dug up to install the bamboo stalls. The stalls in the middle of Chowrasta are creating inconvenience to the morning walkers, elderly citizens, tourists and children. People come to Chowrasta to spend time in peace and quiet environment," said Portel. 

Darjeeling Municipallity Chairman Dipen Thakuri said the protest was politically motivated and that it was not uncommon to organize events and programmes at Chowrasta.

"In democracy everyone has the right to protest. But, it should not be biased and political in nature. We are not the first one to organize a program at Chowrasta.Just a week back a seven-day event was organized and, before that other departments and social organizations also held their program. No one came out and protested. So why protest when we (the municipality)organize a program," said Thakuri. 

Asked if the Municipality would go ahead in organizing the festival, the Chairman said, "We will definitely organize the festival. But, we will remove the temporary stalls that we have installed."