Floods and landslides dampen Diwali spirit for Siliguri traders

Siliguri: Floods and landslides on October 4, that wreaked havoc in the hills, have cast a shadow over the festive season in the plains. The aftermath of the disaster has severely impacted business in Siliguri, where traders depend heavily on customers from the hills during Diwali.

Every year, lights and other festive goods are transported from the plains to the hills, generating brisk sales in Siliguri’s major markets. However, this year, the market has yet to pick up momentum, leaving traders anxious and disappointed. Despite the colourful array of decorative lights on display across the city’s marketplaces — including Bidhan Market, Hongkong market, Mahabirsthan, Hawkers Corner and others — footfall remains low.

“The situation is really bad this year. Normally, by this time, we do a lot of business. But now, almost nothing is selling because no one is coming from the hills,” said Dinesh Das, a local trader.

Echoing similar sentiments, another trader, Rupak Majumdar said: “We have very little time left before Diwali. If there’s no business yet, what will happen next? We are extremely disappointed.”

Siliguri’s economy is closely tied to trade with the hills, and the recent deluge has disrupted this vital link. According to Bapi Saha, secretary of the Bidhan Market Traders’ Association, business has plunged by nearly 50 per cent. “A large part of our market depends on buyers from the hills. But due to this disaster, the situation is dire,” he said. As the hills slowly recover from the devastation, traders in the plains are hoping that normalcy will return soon and customers from the mountains will resume their festive shopping. For now, though, Diwali, the festival of lights, has turned into a season of gloom for Siliguri’s business community.