The mercury dropped to minus one degree Celsius in Darjeeling town on
Saturday, leaving areas in the vicinity carpeted with ice and cheering
tourists.
In Sikkim, the temperature plumbed two degrees Celsius
in Gangtok and some other tourist spots like Tadong, Mangan, Namchi and
Gyalsing. In parts of East and North Sikkim, the mercury was
sub-zero.“The weather is likely to remain the same in the next couple of
days,” said a Met official.
For Tuhin Basu at Darjeeling’s Tiger
Hill, it was “like a dream coming true”. “I have been to Darjeeling many
times but have never seen snowfall. It is an amazing experience to see
my children playing in the snow,” said the Kharagpur resident, watching
his kids slide on ice, roll snowballs and tosse some at each other.
The Basus mirrored the mood among visitors as they enjoyed the clear
weather, took in the Kanchenjungha, clicked photos and played snow
games. Many walked to Chowrasta and an observatory nearby to catch a
glimpse of the Himalayas.
While Tiger Hill was a big draw, Rongbul
and Bagora — located between Darjeeling and Kurseong — and Rishyap in
Kalimpong also drew scores of visitors.
Chatakpur — a hamlet close to Sonada known for its landscapes and homestay facilities — was another big attraction.
“We
have heard about Sandakphu and Phalut but snowfall in places like
Chatakpur is something we had never thought of,” Ritesh Dutta, a
resident of Salt Lake, said.
According to weather officials, the chill in Darjeeling will continue till New Year’s Eve.
“This
time, the snowfall might have been short in Darjeeling town but it has
also snowed in a number of neighbouring areas. This has given tourists
more options to enjoy the spectacle. Some tea gardens were also under
white cover,” said Samrat Sanyal, who is associated with travel trade in
the region.
Since Friday evening when it began snowing in the hills, a beeline has begun for the hills.
“Many
vehicles are arriving with tourists eager to enjoy the snow. We are on
alert as the vehicles might skid in some stretches. The drivers have
been asked to drive slowly and safely,” said a police officer in
Kurseong.
The plains are also getting the shivers, with the
mercury sliding to 5.5 degrees in Siliguri, 5.7 in Cooch Behar and 6.8
in Jalpaiguri.
“There is a chance of dense fog across north Bengal with visibility of less than 200 metres,” a weather official said.
The Telegraph, Additional reporting by Vivek Chhetri in Darjeeling
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