The New Year brought a mix of relief and frustration for travellers heading to Darjeeling. In a welcome move, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) restored the vital Rohini road link, reconnecting Siliguri with the hill station and promising shorter journeys. However, this positive development was quickly overshadowed by severe traffic congestion within Darjeeling, allegedly due to new restrictions imposed by the Army.
A New Year's Gift for Tourists: Rohini Road Reopens
The scenic Rohini mountain road, a crucial gateway to Darjeeling, was officially reopened for traffic on Thursday. This route had been severed since October 4 last year when a landslide washed it away. Its closure had forced all vehicles to take longer, more arduous detours via NH110 and Pankhabari Road.
These alternative paths, especially the Pankhabari stretch with its sharp bends and steep gradients, added nearly 30 minutes to the travel time and were challenging for drivers. The reopening was hailed by tourists and local stakeholders as a significant boost for accessibility. Sonam Bhutia, the tourism executive director of GTA, stated that while restoration work continues, the route was opened as a "New Year's gift to tourists."
Peak Season Gridlock: Army Curbs Spark Anger
Even as one route reopened, movement within Darjeeling town ground to a halt. Alleged restrictions on vehicular movement imposed by the Army near the Indira Bypass close to Ghum led to massive traffic jams during the peak tourist season. Reports indicated that travel time to Darjeeling stretched to 5 hours—double the usual 2.5-hour drive—leaving tourists stranded.
Pradeep Lama, general secretary of the Darjeeling Association of Travel Agents (DATA), raised serious concerns. He alleged that from Thursday, Army personnel stopped and checked vehicles, asking drivers not to use the Indira Bypass route. "The Indira Bypass was the only major diversion to ease congestion. Restricting it all of a sudden created confusion and bottlenecks," Lama said.
He expressed dismay, noting that the Army is known for public help during crises, making these peak-season restrictions "difficult to understand and unacceptable." The congestion was so severe that an 8-km journey now took nearly an hour, with vehicular access restricted within a 1-km radius in the affected area.
Official Concerns and Tourist Frustration
Traffic officials confirmed that the Gandhi Road–Indira Bypass–Ghum stretch was a key identified diversion to manage town traffic. An officer mentioned that while a 2-day window was reportedly given for the restrictions, the enforcement was forceful and added to public confusion.
The situation presents a stark contrast: the restoration of a major hill route, which should have streamlined travel, was negated by internal bottlenecks. Tourists who welcomed the shorter approach via Rohini Road then faced exhausting delays just as they neared their destination, casting a shadow over the holiday experience in the Queen of the Hills.
