Tourists stranded in Sikkim due to bandhd

Statesman News Service
GANGTOK, Feb. 25: A large number of tourists remain stranded in Sikkim due to the GJMM convened bandh in the Darjeeling Hills. The National Highway 31A, which is the lifeline to Sikkim passes through the Kalimpong sub-division in Darjeeling district. The bandh has affected the National Highway disrupting movement to and from Sikkim. It has also left the tourists stranded.
The stranded tourists today approached several offices including the state tourism department, Sikkim Nationalised Transport and the police urging for an arrangement to reach Siliguri.
“I purchased a tatkal rail ticket to travel from New Jalpaiguri to Surat spending Rs 6,000 but could not leave Sikkim. The ticket is non-refundable, which means I have lost the money,” lamented Mr Ashok Modi a tourist from Gujarat.
Another tourist Mr S R Kale from Pune said: “I have to catch the Darjeeling Mail from New Jalpaiguri on 27 February. It looks impossible now.”
The stranded tourists also approached the police in Gangtok. They appealed to the DIG Range Mr Akshay Sachdeva to arrange for their transport but no help came from that end either.