‘WB’ vehicles trundle up

Siliguri, Oct. 23: Traffic between the hills and plains returned to normal as cars with “WB” number plates made their way up with tourists who had been stranded here because of the Citu strike yesterday.

“The Morcha announcement to soften its agitation has brought relief as we were concerned about the tension, especially after the Citu halted transport movement between the hills and plains,” said Kamal Khawas, the secretary of the Siliguri Taxi Owners’ Association. “There would be a losses of Rs 500 if a taxi is kept of the Siliguri-Darjeeling/Gangtok route for a day.”

From October 7, the Morcha made it mandatory for vehicles entering the hills to display “GL” number plates. Two days later, six drivers from the plains were beaten up at Dilaram near Kurseong for not sporting the “new” number plates.

In protest, the Citu-affiliated drivers decided not to ply their vehicles at all and called a 72-hour transport strike from yesterday. The strike was withdrawn after the administration promised to provide security cover to cars travelling to the hills, but not before the protesters had ransacked three vehicles and overturned an ambulance after forcing out a 90-year-old patient. The Citu later withdrew its agitation.

By then, the Morcha had announced that it would not force anyone to travel on ‘GL’ number plates in the hills.

The Citu-affiliated Darjeeling District Taxi and Private Car Drivers’ Union was relieved by the announcement. “Thousands of drivers and cleaners, are solely dependant on the transport sector that is expanding by the day,” said Uday Saha, the secretary of the union. The drivers on their part are keeping their fingers crossed for the moment.

Ganesh Mahato, the secretary of the Siliguri branch of Mainline Drivers’ Association, said: “Things have improved now and we look forward to the setting up of the RTA camp office in Siliguri.”

The Morcha has stopped the regional transport authority’s office from functioning in Darjeeling because of which many vehicles are being forced to travel with permits that have expired.