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Fiat Premiere, Mahindra Jeep, and Bullock Carts: Transportation in the Early 80s

The photograph from the early 80s captures a nostalgic scene featuring various modes of transportation that were prevalent at the time. The luxury Fiat Premiere in the picture belonged to the late Sagarmul Agarwal, the father of our Nagar Panchayat Councillor, Mukesh Agarwal. Dipak Bhutra, one of our seniors at Singtam Bazaar, fondly recalls, "I was fortunate enough to get a few free rides in that car. Riding in the Fiat Premiere during those days felt like being royalty."


Also visible in the photograph is a Mahindra jeep, parked at the extreme left, which belonged to Shri Tarachand Agarwal. This jeep was a common sight on the route between Singtam and Ravongla during those times. Bullock carts were the primary means of transporting goods from Bengal to Sikkim. Goods would first be transported from Siliguri to Rangpo (Bengal side), and then carried by bullock carts to Singtam. This image vividly captures a bygone era and the evolution of transportation in the region.

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