Brake on wheels in Mall

Darjeeling, Nov. 5: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has decided to put a stop to rampant flouting of traffic rules in Chowrastha or Mall, the town’s popular promenade.

A 100-meter stretch between Gorkha Rangamanch Bhawan and Chowrastha is part of a route on which vehicles, including two wheelers, cannot ply.

However of late, everybody had been flouting the traffic norm, more so vehicles with flags fluttering atop them.

“Chowrastha is a place we must preserve. These days we find that it has virtually been converted to a two-wheeler stand. In recent times, a number of vehicles had been frequenting the area. We have decided to stop this practice,” said Pasang Lama (Mama), the convener of the Morcha’s town committee.

In the past, Subash Ghisingh was among those who drove his cavalcade right up to the dais, along with GNLF bigwigs. With the change in the balance of power in the hills, Bimal Gurung and the Morcha leaders have been following the practice. With them as examples, the common man found it convenient to drive the stretch.

“From now onwards, even our party president (Bimal Gurung) will walk the stretch,” said Lama.

True to the promise, Gurung and Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the Morcha, parked their vehicles before the Gorkha Rangamanch Bhawan and walked the distance today.

The duo had come to attend a programme organised by the Janmukti Astai Karmachari Sangatan at Chowrastha.

In another development, most tea gardens are expected to remain closed on Friday. The Morcha-affiliated garden union had appealed to all workers to turn up for the cultural rallies to be held across the hills in their traditional attire on that day.

On November 7, the month-long cultural movement of the Morcha will come to an end.