Lataguri area adjacent to Gorumara National Park in Jalpaiguri was once a favourite haunt of both domestic and foreign tourists alike. However, owing to lack of activities, the charm of Lataguri had gradually faded. The Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) has come up with a Lataguri Environment Friendly Nature Park to get Lataguri back on track.
“The state government has always played a leading role in the development of tourism in North Bengal. Lataguri is one of the important tourist centers of North Bengal. This park built by the SJDA will be maintained by a private company. Hopefully, the number of tourists in Lataguri will increase due to this park. This in turn will add to the economic development of the local people,”stated Sourav Chakraborty, the Chairman of SGDA.
The park built at a cost of Rs 9 crore was recently inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee remotely. Built on about 20.3 acre of land, Lataguri Environment Friendly Nature Park is a new addition to the tourist map of Jalpaiguri district. It boasts of a wetland on 10 acre of land which has boating facilities along with an amusement park for kids.There are multiple flower gardens built around the wetland. A resort has been built with 10 AC, 10 non AC rooms, a kitchen and a hall. It will soon be handed over to a private company through a tender process.
Lataguri Gram Panchayat Pradhan Jagat Bandhu Sen stated: “A large number of tourists used to visit Lataguri. All of them left for Kalimpong, Lava, and Lolegaon after they complete the jungle safari as they have nothing else to do in Latataguri. The environment friendly nature park will be an ideal place for tourists. Based on the park, small businesses selling edibles and other knickknacks run by residents will contribute to the local economy.”
During peak season around 2500 tourists visit Lataguri daily. “The Park will definitely emerge as a major tourist attraction and act as a catalyst in tourists spending more days in Lataguri,” stated Biplab Dey, Joint Secretary, Dooars Tourism Development Welfare Society.