Darjeeling, Oct. 5: Tourists planning a vacation in the hills can now breathe easy as the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has assured hotel owners that no strike would be called during the prime business season.
The assurance to the Janmukti Hotel Owners’ Association comes two days before the party’s foundation day. On October 7, Bimal Gurung, the Morcha chief, is likely to announce the party’s agitation programme for Gorkhaland.
“We spoke to Bimal daju who has assured us that there would be no strike during the month. Tourists can come up to the hills without any fear,” said Sangay Tshering, the association president.
The hoteliers admit that the tourists rush has been relatively low this time compared to the past couple of years. “The flow from the rest of Bengal has come down a bit but people from other states are still flocking the town and the business is good,” said Tshering.
Even though the association could not provide the comparative annual break-up of tourist flow, it is largely believed that Darjeeling has a footfall of about 3.5 lakh domestic visitors and 40,000 foreigners in a year. The hoteliers, however, feel that they may not reach the figure this time.
The association has launched its website www.hotelsofdarjeeling.com and has released three helpline numbers. “If anyone faces problem or needs assistance in Darjeeling, they can call up 9002661253, 9002661284 and 9547249606,” said Tshering.
The hoteliers have appealed to the authorities to repair NH55 at the earliest. “We have been told that repair work will be carried out soon,” said Sarat Dewan, an executive member of the association.
The association advised the tourists to explore the Mirik and Mungpoo routes to reach Darjeeling. “Many tourists are unaware that there are at least four routes to reach the hill station. They can use the Mungpoo and Mirik routes as the roads are good and the scenic beauty is enthralling,” Tshering said.
Letters to the Centre
The Morcha will write to the Prime Minister, Union home minister and the chief minister of Assam, seeking protection for the Nepali-speaking population in the northeastern state after NDFB militants killed 14 people on Sunday night.
“Eight Nepali-speaking people including a five-year-old girl were mercilessly gunned down by NDFB militants on Sunday night. We will be writing to the Prime Minister, Union home minister and the chief minister of Assam seeking protection for the community there,” said Amar Lama, a central committee member of the Morcha.
The Telegraph
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