Himalayan Times (1962)

September 9, 1962 Himalayan Times

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PPJA SEASON & TOURIST TRAFFIC

Teachers1 Day in Darjeeling

( From Our Correspondent )
Darjeeling, September 5

Ai the Puja Season
ia approaching, the urgent
need for developing this
area again manifests itself.
Since the Government is
already considering pro-
posals for constructions
of three hotels in Ber*
hampore, Malda and Rai-
gunj to popularise touritb
traffic on national high,
ways between Calcutta
and Darjeeling, it may
be suggested that a si mi
lar hotel be constructed
at SHiguri preferably near
Bagdogra airport. This
has become necessary
with a view to cater to
the needs of the tourists,
who at present experience
untold hardships while
availing of the early
morning flight between
Bagdogra and Dum Dura.
A hotel near Bagdogra
would enable air pa^sen
gars to leave Darjeeling
on a previous evening to
avail the next morning's
flight.

It may also be pro-
posed, considering the
local economy of Kur-
seong, it marits develop-
ment aa a Halfway Halt
for tourists coming by
car, who invariably feel
fatigued during a thirty

or 35 miles drive over
the hill section route.

It is learnt that the
Government has already
selected sites for one
tourist lodge in Darjee-
ling It has been ru-
moured that the present
management of the local
Bellevue Hotel, situated
just by the side of Moll,
are in negotiations for
the uale of their proper-
ties to an educational
institution, due to their
inability to run it aa a
Government of India re-
cognised hotel, it may be
suggested that the State
Government would do well
to acquire or requisition
this property, in iii public
interets, to be run as
another Tourist Lodge, a
site eminently BuitabU for
devloping tourism to im-
prove local economy in
preference to to an Bdu-
oational Institution for
wbtoh the surroundings
are hardly suitable.

Fue to various diffi-
culties being experinced
by tourists during their
stay within the limits of
Darjeeling Municipality,
it may be suggested thst
Government should make
nuw serious efforts to

popularize place of tourist
interests in the interiors,
specially in areas deve-
loped by the Community
Development Blocks. Per-
haps the very first impact
the Darjeeling makes on
any visitor is that of the
novelty and beauty of its
interior villages. In this
respect conducted tours
and treeks can well be
arranged. Recent proposal
of conducted tours in
Darjeeling District, if
really put into praotice,
will mainly depend upon
trained guides. This is
another smost essential and
urgent need for improving
tourism here.

Understood the local
tourist office authorities
have alreaday submitted
a scheme for starting a
'Guide Training Course'
to the Government should
now take a quicker action
in these matters. Also
understood that a 'Tourist
Traffic Advisory Com-
mittee' is expected to be
formed in Darjeeling with
Officials and non-officials
from all over the district.
In fact, auch a body was
formed in 1959 with the
Deputy Commissioner as
its head; but uufortu-
nately the first and the
labt meeting was held in
the same year. The ad mi
nistrative organization for
tourism suffers from an
obvious inbslance aa at
present, beoause ihe res
poneibilities are assigned
( Continued on page- 5 }