Kalimpong gets new picturesque tourist spot
Darjeeling: Tourists visiting Kalimpong have reasons to cheer as they can now enjoy boating in the backdrop of a picturesque forest, thanks to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) which has come up with a boating complex in the district.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been stressing on the need for new tourism spots in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts to attract more tourists and to prolong their stay in the Hills. Incidentally, tourism is the economic mainstay of this region.
The boating complex, which is located between the two popular tourist destinations Lava and Loleygaon, was inaugurated by GTA chairman Anit Thapa on Thursday.
Built across an area of two and a half acres, the Nok-dara tourist complex boasts of a 9,990 sq metre lake, along with manicured lawns and gardens. The forest in which the lake is located boasts of rich flora and fauna.
"At present we have five pedal boats. In future the number will increase. As there are popular tourist destinations nearby including Lava, Loleygaon and Kafer, we are anticipating that this tourist spot will soon evolve into a major attraction," stated Suraj Sharma, assistant director of tourism, GTA.
The boating complex is 40 km from Kalimpong town, 9 km from Lava and 5 km from Loleygaon. There are many hotels and homestays in Lava, Loleygaon and Kafer.
"We have to come up with new tourist destinations. In the past many tourist facilities including guest houses and bungalows were torched. It is time to forego that path and start building rather than destroying. Such projects will not only boost tourism in the Hills but will also generate employment," remarked Thapa.
The project had been initiated by the Tourism Engineering department in May 2015. However, with the agitation in 2017 along with the 104-day-long bandh, the project had run into choppy waters. "In the second phase, work commenced in August 2019 and was completed this month," stated Anil Chettri, assistant engineer, GTA. The two phases of the project were completed at a cost of Rs 14,16,76,968, funded from the ACA Package Fund.
