KalimNews, March 5, 2025 : In a move aimed at tackling the long-standing issue of traffic congestion in Darjeeling, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has announced the formation of a dedicated committee to explore potential solutions. This decision was made after a productive administrative meeting chaired by GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa at Lal Kothi, Darjeeling, on Wednesday. The meeting saw active participation from key stakeholders, including the Darjeeling Municipality Chairperson, Police DSP, Darjeeling SDO, Darjeeling RTO, GTA Tourism Executive Director, and representatives from relevant departments.
The meeting was a follow-up to discussions held in January with the Darjeeling Himalayan Transport Coordination Committee, where various transportation challenges facing the hill town were deliberated. The session served to reaffirm GTA’s commitment to addressing these pressing concerns.
During the meeting, Thapa acknowledged the exacerbation of traffic-related issues during the tourist season, noting the significant influx of visitors to Darjeeling. “There are a lot of problems that arise regarding traffic when the tourist season starts. Different stakeholders, along with representatives from the concerned departments, participated in the meeting. It has been decided that a committee will be formed, and an official notification will be issued today,” Thapa said.
The newly-formed committee will include the Darjeeling Municipality Chairman, the SDO, the RTO, traffic police representatives, and members of various taxi syndicates. The committee’s main focus will be on key issues such as vehicle permits, parking spaces, and overall transport and traffic management strategies.
Thapa also emphasized the need for long-term solutions, including the proposal for a dedicated vehicle parking lot, which has already been submitted to the state government for approval. This initiative is expected to ease congestion and improve the overall flow of traffic, particularly in the narrow roads of the hill station.
The meeting also raised concerns about the frequent operation of large state-run buses on Darjeeling’s narrow roads, with local taxi drivers citing these buses as one of the causes of traffic jams. A representative of the Siliguri Darjeeling Taxi Driver Association, suggested that while the bus services should not be stopped, their frequency could be reduced to mitigate congestion. “We feel that the buses are too big for the narrow hill roads. We don’t want the services to stop, but reducing their frequency would help ease the traffic situation. The GTA Chairman has assured us that smaller buses will be introduced before the start of the tourist season,” he added.
Passang Sherpa, President of the Himalayan Transport Coordination Committee, welcomed the formation of the traffic advisory committee, which has been a long-standing demand. “We have informed the GTA and the West Bengal government numerous times regarding these issues. One of our key demands was the formation of a traffic advisory committee, which has now been approved by the GTA Chairman. We hope that the discussions will lead to practical solutions and alleviate the traffic jams in the town,” Sherpa said.
The formation of this committee marks a significant step towards resolving Darjeeling’s traffic woes, with the stakeholders collectively working to improve the transportation infrastructure for both residents and tourists. Thapa has urged cooperation from all involved parties to ensure a well-organized and efficient traffic system in Darjeeling moving forward.
