The agitation for a separate Gorkhaland, spearheaded by the GJM since 2008, had disrupted tourism in the Hills, beside halting all development works and disrupting normal life. The murder of ABGL leader Madan Tamang nearly a year ago in the middle of the town hit the tourism sector hard and made even the Darjeeling lover shy away from making a trip to the town.
But this week`s `agreement` between the state government and the GJM has, in one stroke, brushed away all the grim memories of the past three years. And life has jumped back to normal — with a vengeance. Happy chaos and cacophony are back at Chowk Bazar and the Mall — long queues of cabs, a thick crowd snapping up mementoes, cops trying in vain to control the traffic rush and all hotels reporting 100% occupancy herald a return to the good old days.
And the buzz among the locals, who have suffered three years of disruptions and stagnation, is development. "The (Gorkhaland) movement is history. It`s now a new beginning," said Vickie Rai, a young lady who manages a budget hotel in Darjeeling. "We`re experiencing such a rush of tourists after four years," she said. "Even in this late summer, despite sudden rain and chances of landslides, flocks of tourists are arriving every hour. We are finding it difficult to accommodate them," says a happy Vickie. Failing to find rooms in Darjeeling, many tourists are putting up at lodges in the outskirts and even opting to hire rooms at residential houses.
"During the beginning of this tourist season, rooms which were available for Rs 400 are now going for at least double that amount," said Subhash Chhetri, another hotelier. "The political unrest over the past four years had scared tourists away from Darjeeling. Sikkim became an alternative destination. Now that things are back to normal, it is Darjeeling`s turn again to get tourists. And this rush of tourists is certainly a positive development towards a resurgence of ailing economy of the hills," said Supratim Basu, president of Eastern Himalaya Tour and Travel Association. Basu feels that the volume of trade this year is more than five times than that of the last three years!
While the tourist boom is the most visible sign of the normalcy returning to the hills, the happiness of the hill people is palpable. "We managed to earn a good amount this time,` said Babulal, who hawks wooden memorabilia on the street. For Pritam, a young waiter at a budget hotel it`s a time to rejoice. "Last year due to lack of tourists, my employer sent me back to my native village. Though we have some farmland but we need hard cash. Last year we were in a bad condition," said Pritam, whose brother is a member of Gorkha Land Personnel — the volunteer wing of GJM. "It is true that we`re yet to get Gorkhaland. But the new government has dealt with our demands respectfully. If the proposed (Hill Council) structure provides us more power and autonomy for our development, then it is now better to reconstruct the hills by suspending the movement," said Amar Gurung, a driver who`s a supporter of the demand for Gorkhaland.
Pointing towards `pre-historic` condition of the Rohini road — the cratered track that`s Darjeeling`s tenuous physical link with the plains — he said it is time for immediate development works. "The movement halted all type of development works. We need proper drinking water, electrification and better roads," said Kundan Sharma, a youngster who runs an eatery at Rohini.
The Hills are brimming with tourists, and the locals are smiling again. Many among them also yearn for Gorkhaland. But for now, it`s time to bask in the rays of normalcy. And for the tourists, Darjeeling , despite its bad roads and poor infrastructure,
is still the best hill destination. As they say, there`s something about Darjeeling that just ain`t there elsewhere.
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