GTA to Introduce Green Electric Car Service to Mahakal Temple in Darjeeling

DEEP GAZMER, EOI, DARJEELING, OCTOBER 16, 2025 :  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday asked the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) to provide a green electric car service for the elderly and people who are physically unable to visit the Mahakal temple located at the top of Chowrasta in Darjeeling.

Winding up her three-day visit to Darjeeling to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts following the October 4 and 5 rain and landslides that claimed 21 lives in the hills, the Chief Minister walked up to the Mahakal temple to offer prayers before returning to Kolkata.

"I have talked to Anit Thapa. The GTA will very soon introduce a green electric car service to ferry elderly and physically challenged people who are unable to walk to easily reach the temple and offer their prayers," the Chief Minister said.

People usually hire a taxi or private car from the market area in the town, paying anything from Rs. 450 to Rs. 700, to reach the temple and offer prayers. The temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, is located on top of the Observatory Hill at Chowrasta and is revered by locals and tourists alike. From the west side of Mall Road, the temple can be reached via a motor road, but it still entails climbing a long flight of stairs uphill. The temple can also be reached from the east side of Mall Road, but people are required to walk all the way up.

After offering her prayers, the Chief Minister expressed her desire to construct a temple in Siliguri, similar to the Mahakal temple. "I want to build a Convention Centre in Siliguri. Adjacent to the centre, we will construct the Mahakal temple. I have asked the Darjeeling District Magistrate to identify a suitable land. It will take some time to build the convention centre and the temple because we will have to constitute a trust and also engage capable architects. It will be built by interested private parties and will be the biggest in the region," the Chief Minister said.

The Mahakal temple was established in 1782 by Lama Dorjey Rinzing, a Buddhist monk. The temple is unique for following both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, with a priest and monk chanting prayers together. It is believed that three Shiva Lingas representing Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar manifested themselves at the temple. According to legend, Darjeeling derived its name from the monastery Dorje-Ling, which in Tibetan literally means 'place of thunderbolts'.

The West Bengal Chief Minister arrived in Kurseong on Monday, and after visiting landslide-hit Mirik and Sukhiapokhari, reached Darjeeling the next day. On Wednesday, the Chief Minister held a review meeting at Lal Kothi, the GTA headquarters.

Before leaving for Siliguri, the Chief Minister urged tourists to visit the hills. "I met and interacted with lots of tourists today. The Pankhabari and Tindharia roads are open, while it will take another 15 days for the Rohini road to be operational. I request the tourists to come to the hills," she said.