Himalayan Times (1954)

PpmnhtQan (Times

Five

DIRECT RAIL LINK TO KALIMFONG

Kalimpong, July 28.

The following letter has
beep addressed to Hun Sri
Lai Bahadur Sasiri, .Minis-
ter for Railways, Govt.
o( India, New Uclhi by
the Hony, "Secretary, Tibet
Wool Shipper:! Chamber,
Kalimpong. • •

"Sir, Kalimpong, well
known ub gateway to Tibet,
Bhutan and Sikkim has
its itfaU'gic, political and
economical importance and
the recent ralilTeatiun of
Sino-India treaty with
China on Tibet, has fur-
ther enhanced this impor-
tance lo view of the
importance ol KaJimpohg.
the Committee of the
Chamber cons.ders it im-
perative that Kalimpong
shoulil ba linked by rail
with-, toe rest of India, as
eai ly as possible.

A> you are fully aware
of tho fact that after
Haiti disaster of 1D.">0, the
narrow gauge hue of the
Darjeeling Himalayan Rail-
ways between Si.Hguri and
Giellokljela catering the
needs of Kalimpong, S,k-
kijl) and other territories
Ivul to ho abandoned and
as a consequence thereof
tho entire traffic of cowls'
Mid passengers to and from
aforesaid anas has be«n
passing along N'a'ionnl
Highway No.MA, the only
alternative rtxilo left.

Then; exists a Rope cum-
roadsaryioe for goods only,
managed by a public limi-
ted Company;' known as
M.'s Kali m pong Ropeway
Co , Ltd. Prior to thi» said
.disaster of 15)50, the said
ropowny was connected to
the D. H. Rly at the
15'ej'i v.'ay temrnus at
Re.lli. The enrr'age of
goods even through the
Ropeway is how lining
conveyed'by Mctor trucks,
on the section which'was.
previously served byTeesra-
Valley Section of tie D.
H. Rly.. now abandoned,
•plying alone tho National
Highway 31A from Relli
to Siliguri, and vice versa
and as such the entire
burden of traffic has fallen
on this National High-
wa.y-. as a result of which,
landslids along- this High-
way are frequent and our
Goyti has to spend an
appreciable amount for.
its maintenance, Iiispitaiif
spend in a -such 'amounts
the difficulties .of. trans-
port of goods still remain.
To' meet the present day
situation and -..partly to
relieve the National Hidi-
wav 31A of heavy-traffic,
t.tie Committee of. this
.Chandler submits the fol-
lowircr suggestion for .your
immediate consideration :-
1 All possible measures
be ' ■ taken imme-

diately to link Kalimpong
with a meter gauge lino-
with the rest of India,
through Bagrakoto ( u
station on North liastern.
Railways if> miles from-;
Siliguri •'Jn. towards. A!i.-
pur Duar). The ' Ghanih.-.i
■lias heard of '• frequaiH''
surveys having been Jj'e/d .
in the past for linking
Kalimp dig by rail, on ac-
count of its importance
as stated above. Thferfr
tie chances of, -ni.nei'jil.
deposits being.explored in
.case communication ..pi*
this region is inlproved,

2. ri lie Kalimpong rope-
way Company Limited, be'
assisted and financed •• by-.
t!.e Government in -their
scheme, already submitted
and now under tho con-
sideration of the Govt, of
West Bengal, of extcntion
of present 'KopewaySystem
from its existing ternfijius
of Rellie to Seveke or

'Bagrakote,-so as', to con-
nect the Ropeway direct
with the Railways (N.
Rly.) This scheme, is of
negligible financial assis-
tance to. the Govt, where
.as it will render valuable
services to thet.iovt.as.wcl.l
as to tho trade and pub-
lie .at ,larg*. With I'.io
materialisation of this
scheme., the Nal,r«nal Righ-

..way' No. 31 A, which ha-;

'its strategic importance en
accpunt'.of. the Ir^ntie.r,
will,be aiitoroaticaily rp-
lietfe'd to-a' great' extent