Updates to Darjeeling Travel News; Political situation in the Hills

A new bandh is forecast for 15th and 16th May in Darjeeling, Siliguri and part of the Dooars:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ah...eeling/616499/

A Kolkata newspaper (Aajkaal - 13/05/10) reported that since 10th May, 2010, the Darjeeling Toy Train has stopped running as a consequence of GJMM sponsored stoppage of work in all government departments in the Darjeeling hills. The North-East Frontier Rail is reported to have issued a notice of this indefinite stoppage of the train.

I could not find a second (English) source to confirm this report. Tourists intending to visit Darjeeling should verify this report before finalizing their plans.

Today is the first day of a 3-day bandh in the Siliguri and Darjeeling hills region. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJMM) has called for bandh on May 15th and 16th. The national highway no. 31 connecting Sikkim is also going to be affected.

And there is much more to come. The GJMM has issued a call
for a 10-day bandh from June 12 to 21.

Read much more here:

http://himalnews.wordpress.com/2010/...ime-energy-so/


More related news here:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/110051...y_12448353.jsp


The Adivasi Vikash Parishad has threatened a 72-hour bandh in the Dooars on another issue.

Any other updates ? I am planning to visit DJ on 19 may. Would it be wise to go there in the current situation ? If not, would it be possible to reach Gangtok ?

I'm not aware of anything big planned right after the two-day bandh. It should be okay for now (except, perhaps, for the toy train). Road to Gangtok should be okay for now too. But do keep checking some of the sites mentioned here.

please keep updating the latest situation,as i access IM more than any sites...

Due to a political assassination today, there is again unrest in Darjeeling and a new bandh/blockade in the Hills. The situation is tense:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...ow/5957127.cms

very unfortunate.....dont know how the situation will be now..

I'm now in Darjeeling. Reached here on 23rd May as my Hotel was booked. Yes the shops are closed but there is no restriction for tourist. I'm here with my family and two kids. Yesterday we went to the mall and there was no problem at all. Its now less crowded and today morning also we went for a walk in the rain. All the TV channels (Times now, TV today, NDTV, Star etc) with their OB Vans are here looking for some news.

I don't know what to do. I'm in Kolkata now and want to try and sort out my train tickets asap. I really wanted to go to Darjeeling, do you think if I leave it about 5 days things will be alright there? Or is it going to be tense for a while? I was thinking of maybe getting a train to Delhi and heading up to Manali from there instead, but I would be gutted to miss out on Darjeeling.

The situation in Darjeeling is really unpredictable these days, so nobody can say for certain which way the events will turn after a few days. I think it would be prudent to give it a miss this time around, and leave it for your next trip, perhaps. India has so much to offer that you'll surely find a good alternative for this trip.

A Kolkata newspaper (ABP) reported yesterday that tourists, uncomfortable with the tense situation around, were canceling their trips and fleeing Darjeeling. The police were advising tourists to not take any risks and leave! The rental vehicle owners were, predictably, taking advantage of the situation, and charging several times the normal rate for a trip to Siliguri.

Today from 2:00 PM onwards tourist are coming to Darjeeling in large numbers and in the evening the Mall was crowded. I hired a Sumo from NJP but they did not charge any extra. Tomorrow we would be going to Mirik and again come back to Darjeeling.

good to hear that. Hopefully sikim will be a similar story.
Arrived in Calcutta today and going to sikkim house in the morning to find out news there and get permit. Hopefully be in Darj in a cpl of days

How many day are you planing for darjeeling?? You can take sikkim as an option and just chk the situation locally and hop into a shared cab to darjeeling if you really do not want to miss..as one of our member is saying the situation is ok for tourist but no one knows what will happen and we do not want tourist getting harassed it may not be the local people but its a political situation anyone can take advantage of the situation and people of Darjeeeling will get a bad name.

Planning on staying maybe 5-7 days. I've decided to go for it and I've got a train booked to NJP tomorrow night. Fingers crossed it will be OK. I went and spoke to the British High Commission who said that they aren't officially telling people to stay away but warned me to be cautious. I also made a couple of phone calls to hotels and tourist centres in Darjeeling who said everything is fine for tourists (although they obviously want the business).