Himalayan Times (1953)

October 11, 1953

Ifiimalnuau ILin.ea

Three

RAILWAY LINK BETWEEN CALCUTTA
AND SILIGURI VIA PARBATIPUR

Darjeeling Motor Association’s Memorandum to Dr. Roy
Darjeeling September, 29

The Darjeeling Motor Association Ltd has submi-
tted the following to the Chief Minister of West Bengal.

Dear Sir,

In view of the impend-
ing conference taking place
in Calcutta between the
Governments of India and
Pakistan on the 30th Sep-
tember 19.'>3. regarding ex-
change of Enclaves, Trade
and Travel facilities, etc.
affecting the two B.engals,
we respectfully beg to lay
the following for favour
of your sympathetic con-
sideration :—

That ever since the par-
tition of our country the
border districts in North
Bengal have vertually been
cut off from the rest of
India and Calcutta, in
particular. As a result the
trade and commerce of
North Bengal which de-
pended mainly on the
official and, non-official
sources was affected very
adversely. The Government
of India was, nior'o tr less,
forced .to take up the
project of Assam Railway
Link in order to sustain
communications between
Assam and the rest of
India.

Air routes were intro-
duced, which served main-
ly tint clas.3 of people

who could afford them.
Moreover, the Assam Rail-
way Link may be strate-
gically. considered a link
between Assam North
Bengal and the rest of
India but, the route lying ‘
t' rtuous, the time factor
being ntiprox mutely 24
hours, the state of over
crowding beiner unmanage-
able, the holiday resorters
are prevented from plan-
ning their holiday on this
route.

As a result persons who
take their ordinary holiday
in North Bengal and Dar-
jeeling District in parti-
cnlar have been forced by .
circumstances to change
their choice and they have
lipen diverted towards
Ranchi Puri, Madbuptir, .
Gopalpur and.other health
resortk near West Ben
gal. As a result, many, of
the shops, establishments.
Boarding Houses andflotels
in Darjeeling have had no
other option but, to close
down, and those .that, are
are still functioning are
existing for the sake of
existence only.

In prder to restore eeo
nomic condition of border
districts of North Bengal,

we suggest that the ques-
tion of establishing^ link
by the old rail route bet-
ween Calcutta'and Siliguri
via l’arbatipur (East Pa-
kistan) be given due con-
sideration in the forth-
coming conference.

(2)

Dear Sir,

The question of shifting
ting the Head-quarters of
soni» of the offices from
Calcutta to other District
Head-quarters, as decided
by your Government, has
aroused a considerable in-
terest amongst the mem-
bers of. this Association,
As it will help us a great
deal in solving the econo-,
mic condition of Darjeeling
which is on the verge of
total collapse at the-mo-
ment it.drew the attention
of the members and the
matter came up for dis-
cussion at one of its recent
meetings and it was de-
cided to request ^ou to-
kindly consider the ease
of Darjeeling sympatheti-
cally and order the shift-
. ing of the departments
which are most' suitable
for Darjeeling Among
others the following mav
p-'rhaps fit in on all con-
siderations.

1. The Forest Directo-
rate.

2. The Cinchona Direc-
torate

3. The Office of the Tea
Board end

4. The Office cf the
Divisional Commissioner
for North Bengal.

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