Darjeeling Hill: Makeover takes off at Mall

Darjeeling, Feb. 14.TT: The DGHC has started revamping the Mall and the first phase of the Rs 9 crore project for Darjeeling’s famous promenade is expected to be completed in five months.

Nearly Rs 2 crore has been sanctioned for the first phase which includes an amphitheatre and landscaping the park where it will come up. Dismantling the band stand or the “hawa ghar” for an unhindered view of the mountains will be part of the second phase of the makeover.

P.R. Mehta, an architect from Delhi, has been hired as a consultant for the project.

“The entire revamp will be taken up in two phases. During the first phase, the park will be renovated,” said Anil Verma, the administrator of the DGHC.

The revamp of the Mall, with a daily footfall of 1,000 in peak seasons, has probably been propelled by Mamata Banerjee’s announcement to turn Darjeeling into Switzerland. In November, the state government had brought in RITES to draw up a comprehensive tourism master plan for the Queen of Hills.

But the Mall overhaul is a wholly DGHC initiative. The amphitheatre with a seating arrangement for 300 people will be set up at Brabourne Park.

“Work has just started and we expect to complete the project within the next four to five months. The open-air theatre in the park will have a very comfortable seating arrangement for about 250-300 people. The lighting arrangement in the park and its landscape will also be worked out. Green rooms and lavatories will also come up,” said Verma.

He said Rs 2 crore had been sanctioned for the first phase of the project. “Work has started as per chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s earlier announcement for the need for an integrated development plan for Chowrastha (or the Mall),” said Verma.

Brabourne Park is not a favourite with tourists. Darjeeling has around 3.5 lakh domestic tourists annually and another 50,000 foreign visitors. “During the peak season, almost 2,000 tourists arrive in Darjeeling town every day. Of them, 1,000 tourists can be found in the Mall in the afternoon,” said a tour operator.

The park turns slushy during monsoons. The DGHC under Subash Ghisingh had constructed a much-hyped musical fountain in the park for Rs 20 lakh in 2006. The fountain needed 10,000 gallons of water to function. But with the Darjeeling municipality unable to supply potable water to its residents, the fountain was bound to go dry and it stopped working after a year.

Last year, after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha replaced the GNLF at the Darjeeling municipality, the steel seating arrangement in front of the fountain was dismantled and a martyr’s column was erected in the park.

The estimate for developing the Mall has been pegged around Rs 8-9 crore. “The proposal had been sent to the Centre based on the GTA agreement. Till the grants arrive, DGHC will fund the project,” said Verma. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration agreement has provision for allocating funds for hill tourism.

During the second phase, the “hawa-ghar”— the concrete structure where the bands, specially that belonging to the police have been playing since the colonial era — will be dismantled. “The hawa-ghar is obstructing the panoramic view of the hills and the designers have decided to do away with it. Instead, proper seating facilities will be made, though we will retain the old wooden benches that are here. The lighting system will also be improved,” said Verma.

Earlier, the Darjeeling Police used to operate an electronic temperature board at the tourist assistance booth at the Mall. It was a huge hit among tourists and locals but it stopped functioning more than two years ago. The police have also stopped playing instrumental music in the Mall through its music system.