Kurseong's British era landmark in shambles

Kurseong (WB), Apr 8 (PTI) Once used as a landmark by the city-bound travellers, the famous 'Chimney' situated on the outskirts of Kurseong town seems to be standing totally forgotten now and calls for immediate attention. Situated at 7,000 ft above sea level, the brick-built structure of British Raj is now a picture of neglect. Owing to lack of maintenance and caretaking, it is currently in shambles. Apart from serving as a landmark for the travellers, the 27-foot-tall structure was also a saviour for the travellers during the bone-chilling winters of Darjeeling by offering a warm hearth with a fire crackling below. As recalled by the villagers, the Britishers used it as a resting place at night and when the present Hill Cart Road was not constructed, the only route used by them was the Old Military road (now known as Aryan Sarani Road) via Chimney to Darjeeling. The structure, which housed a stable for horses also, is not just facing the challenge of maintenance, but is also forth to some serious threat of encroachment by locals who have started using the adjoining land for farming purposes, apart from constructing their own private structures. With the passage of time and no upkeep, two to three ft of the top portion of the chimney has tumbled down. Councillor Vinod Sharma, who is the in-charge of the Conservancy Department, told PTI that a part of Chimney was within the limits of the municipality. He said steps for its maintenance will be raised at the next meeting of the municipality. Similarly, local resident Dipesh Chetrri says the authorities should take immediate measures to preserve the landmark and declare it a tourist spot. He also sought it to be included in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites.