Darjeeling: With weather conditions improving considerably in the Darjeeling Hills, Sandakphu has been reopened to tourists and the adventure activities are being resumed. This comes after the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a forecast for “dry weather” from November 3.
With the opening up of Sandakphu, around 20 vehicles ferrying tourists went up to the hills along with trekkers.
Incidentally, the IMD had issued a “Yellow” rainfall warning for Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts for Thursday, followed by a “Red” warning for Friday. Fearing a rerun of the recent deluge of October 4 that had left 21 dead in the Hills alone, the administration, along with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, had issued strictures. Sandakphu was out of bounds for tourists. GTA had suspended all adventure activities along with the closure of parks and gardens.
On November 1, a notification was issued by the Block Development Officer, Jokebunglow Sukhiapokhri development block, recalling the previous restricting order. “Tourist movement to Sandakphu and adjacent regions may now be permitted.
However, all concerned are requested to allow the movement of tourists with due caution and necessary precautions…” stated the order.
“With Sandakphu open to tourists, around 20 vehicles went up to Sandakphu on Sunday. There are a lot of enquiries also from tourists. Everything is normal in Sandakphu with clear skies and the mountain peaks visible,” Chandan Pradhan, President, Singhalila Land Rover Owners’ Association, told Millennium Post. Along with the nearly 100 tourists, there were also trekkers, he added.
“We ourselves have repaired the road from Sandakphu to Thakkum on the way to Phalut. With the road from Thakkum to Phalut being in a deplorable state, tourists interested in visiting Phalut are being taken up to Thakkum in vehicles and from there they are trekking to Phalut,” Pradhan said.
Sandakphu (3636m) and Phalut (3595m), located on the Singhalila ridge, are the highest points in the state of West Bengal. With the allure of viewing the magnificent Himalayan peaks, including Mount Everest and the Kanchenjunga,
Sandakphu has fast evolved into a tourist hotspot. “With weather conditions improving, the parks and gardens under the GTA have been opened up. Adventure activities have also resumed,” stated Sonam Bhutia, Executive Director, Tourism, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.
Traffic has also resumed on the Hume pipe bridge at Dudhia, thereby establishing a vital connection between Siliguri and the lake town of Mirik, also an important tourist destination.