Darjeeling,TT April 17: Tourists in
Darjeeling are visiting parks and spots that are in a shambles as tour
operators are doing little to warn them what to expect.
The Rock Garden
and Gangamaya Park are examples of sites that have nothing to offer in
terms of sights but which are still getting tourists who are paying out
nearly Rs 700 for a car ride there.
The garden and the
park, constructed by the DGHC in the mid-90s, were among the top
tourist hotspots in Darjeeling till they were devastated by Cyclone Aila
in 2009.
A beautiful garden
set up among the rocks of the Gangamaya falls — known as the Rock
Garden — and the adjacent Gangamaya Park with an artificial lake are in a
shambles with no initiative being taken by the DGHC to restore the
sites.
Tourists used to enjoy boating in the lake and most of them would spend half-a-day at the location.
The ride to the
point, about 12km from Darjeeling, though slightly steep in gradient,
offered a picturesque and panoramic view of the hills as one passes
through the lush green Orange Valley tea garden. The road, too, is in a
total mess now.
Hundreds of unsuspecting tourists are still being ferried to the spot and none are returning with pleasant memories.
A tour operator said even now nearly 100 people visit the park and garden in the peak tourist season.
Tapan Pal from
Kadamtala, Howrah, said: “We are very disappointed after visiting the
place. The road is very scary and we couldn’t enjoy much. There is
nothing to see there.”
Most of the tourists said neither the hoteliers nor travel agents or even drivers cautioned them against visiting the place.
“We had heard a
lot about Rock Garden and Gangamaya Park and they simply told us that
they would charge us Rs 700 per vehicle. We should have been cautioned
by someone,” said Pal.
The interactions
with the visitors are more than enough to suggest that those involved in
the tourism industry in Darjeeling “are only interested in making quick
bucks”.
Pradip Lama, the secretary of the Darjeeling Association of Travel Agents, admitted that tourists were being taken for a ride.
“I admit that Rock
Garden and Gangamaya Park are in ruins and still, tourists are taken
there. When tourists approach drivers asking for suggestions on
sight-seeing, they never tell the guests about the spot to avoid.”
Lama, however,
said he always tried his best to stop tourists from visiting the place.
“Yet, some insist on going to the Rock Garden as they have heard a lot
about the place. If there are tourists aged above 60, I would ensure
that they do not go to the spot as the road is in a bad condition.”
The association
secretary said if he had to send tourists to Rock Garden and Gangamaya,
he combined the tour with a visit to Peace Pagoda.
“We tell them that
the garden is in a shambles but they will get a panoramic view of the
hills while driving to the place. The tourists at least enjoy the ride,”
said Lama.
A driver, who did
not want to be named, said after visiting Rock Garden and Gangamaya
Park, tourists invariably told them that they would never go there
again.
The tourists seem to be unimpressed with the entire state of affairs in Darjeeling.
Anusua Dasgupta
from Agartala said: “I had always wanted to come to Darjeeling but the
visit has disappointed me. The road to Rock Garden is non-existent. We
have just returned from Sikkim which is much better than Darjeeling. The
tourist points are well kept, roads are better, the place is cleaner
and traffic is smooth. I wonder whether there is any writ of
administration in Darjeeling. Everyone is interested in quick bucks.”
The DGHC
administrator, Anil Verma, said there were no immediate plans to
renovate the garden and the park. “The devastation is massive and a huge
investment would be required for the repair. We are not in a position
to fund the renovation at the moment. Maybe, it can be taken up later,”
said Verma.
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