Day-5 of Highway Bandh: 94 vehicles leave in convoy from Rangpo for Siliguri

GANGTOK, 13 Feb: A convoy of 94 vehicles left Rangpo for Siliguri today, Day-5 of the indefinite Darjeeling bandh which has been extended this time to Sikkim traffic on portions of the National Highway 31A passing through Darjeeling district. The convoy left at around 10:15 a.m. from Rangpo under West Bengal police escort.

PI, Rangpo Police Station, Sonam Wangdi, while speaking to NOW! over the phone, informed that although the private vehicles and taxis were plying at their own risk [the GJM picketers having only allowed SNT vehicles through earlier], given that the past two days of such traffic have passed without incident, more people were attempting the journey now.
In fact, starting today, vehicles are now undertaking the journey even independent of the convoy.
The make-up of today’s convoy is as follows:
- 24 SNT buses
- 19 LPG Bullets
- 01 oil tanker
- 50 light vehicles [taxis and private]
Those making the journey had crossed Rimbi at the time of filing of this report [11:30 a.m.] and inform that the journey was without incident. At Melli, the convoy halted for a short while to link up with SNT buses coming in from West and South districts and then proceeded without disruptions, it is learnt.
[ANAND OBEROI]