Letter:
I would like to raise concern among tourism entrepreneurs and other tourism stakeholders of Sikkim regarding the handling of tourists by taxi drivers ferrying them from Siliguri to Sikkim. Let me narrate an unfortunate incident I witnessed along NH 31A on 20 June 2011.
I boarded a share taxi, a maroon colored Spacio vehicle No. WB-73B-8095, at NJP bound for Gangtok. Other passengers in the vehicle were tourists visiting Sikkim. The vehicle started at around 4 a.m. in the morning. When we reached Birik Dara near Rambi, there was a landslide. After stopping the vehicle for around five minutes, the driver said that the road was not going to clear the whole day. Hence, he informed the passengers either to get down, cross the landslide zone on foot and walk till they get another taxi on the other side of the slide or travel via Darjeeling by paying Rs 400 extra per head. Or else he will drop everyone at Siliguri so that they can return to their home places. The tourists were helpless and did not know what would be the better option.
Among the tourists, two families had a year old baby and it was raining at that time.
I then intervened and asked the driver to return some amount of fare charged so that we could board another taxi after crossing the landslide (although not feasible for the moment as stones were rolling down). He refused the idea and argued that it was not his concern. Then I took stock of the situation and found that the road could be cleared within no time once the authorities arrived at the spot. Accordingly, I suggested the driver to wait for sometime till GREF personnel arrived there.
Hearing me, the driver was so furious and forced all the passengers to get down. He also passed filthy comments. Having known that I am a local person, tourists were looking towards me for an intervention. Taking heed of their despair, I told the driver that the option given by him is not feasible to either tourists or to me. I cautioned him that he may have to face legal consequences for irresponsibility and cheating. He shouted back and threatened that no one can do anything to him because the vehicle driven by him belongs to a big person. He now turned the vehicle towards Siliguri without listening to anyone. By then GREF personnel and some policemen reached the spot. Now passengers got some relief and unanimously told the driver to wait, otherwise a complaint would be lodged against him instantly. Now, the driver had no option left then to wait.
The road was cleared within two hours. The driver drove the vehicle so rough and rash with anger that it took only 1 hour 45 minutes for us to reach Gangtok from Birik Dara which otherwise takes around three hours. I could understand that this is a usual practice of some drivers who operate vehicles on this line.
This kind of situation poses serious questions. Are the tourists visiting Sikkim treated properly at the entry point? Are the tourists witnessing only one or many other despair situations during their trip to Sikkim? What would have happened to the tourists of the said vehicle had I not intervened or the authorities arrived even slightly later? Looking at the situation, I understand that many tourists return mid-way with bad impression of the state. Sikkim has a brand name for peaceful tourism in the international market, but such kind of miscreants are spoiling the fame of the state. Siliguri (including, NJP and Bagdogra) can be considered entry points for Sikkim-bound tourists. The first impression they have towards Sikkim is their travel from Siliguri to Gangtok and driver is the one who reflects hospitality of the Sikkimese people. So, if such a person with supposedly responsible task, misbehaves, ill-treats and misguides tourists, it will have negative impact on the tourism industry of Sikkim, which is among the largest source of revenue and biggest industry of our tranquil state.
Being a concerned citizen I humbly request the concerned authority and tourism stakeholders to ensure that such ill factors do not hamper the tourism industry. Considering his act of irresponsibility, misconduct and ill treatment towards customers, driver of the Vehicle No. WB 73B-8095 deserves legal punishment. This will serve as a lesson to other miscreants and help in maintaining the fame, peace and tranquility of our state.
Dr BK Acharya, Gangtok
I would like to raise concern among tourism entrepreneurs and other tourism stakeholders of Sikkim regarding the handling of tourists by taxi drivers ferrying them from Siliguri to Sikkim. Let me narrate an unfortunate incident I witnessed along NH 31A on 20 June 2011.
I boarded a share taxi, a maroon colored Spacio vehicle No. WB-73B-8095, at NJP bound for Gangtok. Other passengers in the vehicle were tourists visiting Sikkim. The vehicle started at around 4 a.m. in the morning. When we reached Birik Dara near Rambi, there was a landslide. After stopping the vehicle for around five minutes, the driver said that the road was not going to clear the whole day. Hence, he informed the passengers either to get down, cross the landslide zone on foot and walk till they get another taxi on the other side of the slide or travel via Darjeeling by paying Rs 400 extra per head. Or else he will drop everyone at Siliguri so that they can return to their home places. The tourists were helpless and did not know what would be the better option.
Among the tourists, two families had a year old baby and it was raining at that time.
I then intervened and asked the driver to return some amount of fare charged so that we could board another taxi after crossing the landslide (although not feasible for the moment as stones were rolling down). He refused the idea and argued that it was not his concern. Then I took stock of the situation and found that the road could be cleared within no time once the authorities arrived at the spot. Accordingly, I suggested the driver to wait for sometime till GREF personnel arrived there.
Hearing me, the driver was so furious and forced all the passengers to get down. He also passed filthy comments. Having known that I am a local person, tourists were looking towards me for an intervention. Taking heed of their despair, I told the driver that the option given by him is not feasible to either tourists or to me. I cautioned him that he may have to face legal consequences for irresponsibility and cheating. He shouted back and threatened that no one can do anything to him because the vehicle driven by him belongs to a big person. He now turned the vehicle towards Siliguri without listening to anyone. By then GREF personnel and some policemen reached the spot. Now passengers got some relief and unanimously told the driver to wait, otherwise a complaint would be lodged against him instantly. Now, the driver had no option left then to wait.
The road was cleared within two hours. The driver drove the vehicle so rough and rash with anger that it took only 1 hour 45 minutes for us to reach Gangtok from Birik Dara which otherwise takes around three hours. I could understand that this is a usual practice of some drivers who operate vehicles on this line.
This kind of situation poses serious questions. Are the tourists visiting Sikkim treated properly at the entry point? Are the tourists witnessing only one or many other despair situations during their trip to Sikkim? What would have happened to the tourists of the said vehicle had I not intervened or the authorities arrived even slightly later? Looking at the situation, I understand that many tourists return mid-way with bad impression of the state. Sikkim has a brand name for peaceful tourism in the international market, but such kind of miscreants are spoiling the fame of the state. Siliguri (including, NJP and Bagdogra) can be considered entry points for Sikkim-bound tourists. The first impression they have towards Sikkim is their travel from Siliguri to Gangtok and driver is the one who reflects hospitality of the Sikkimese people. So, if such a person with supposedly responsible task, misbehaves, ill-treats and misguides tourists, it will have negative impact on the tourism industry of Sikkim, which is among the largest source of revenue and biggest industry of our tranquil state.
Being a concerned citizen I humbly request the concerned authority and tourism stakeholders to ensure that such ill factors do not hamper the tourism industry. Considering his act of irresponsibility, misconduct and ill treatment towards customers, driver of the Vehicle No. WB 73B-8095 deserves legal punishment. This will serve as a lesson to other miscreants and help in maintaining the fame, peace and tranquility of our state.
Dr BK Acharya, Gangtok
Dr Bhoj did a commendable job by opposing and exposing such misdeeds... guilty driver must be punished in an exemplarary way!
ReplyDeleteit is usually these west bengal number drivers who are on the wrong side of the line and bring us a bad name. recently my wife and daughter were going to siliguri from gangtok so i bought them two front seats of a sumo but the driver said that from rangpo onwards he will put a third passenger which is not allowed in sikkim. i could do nothing as there was shortage of vehicles that day due to tourists returning rush. hence i had to pay him 100/- extra so that he would not put the third man from rangpo. if this could happen to us locals what about tourists?
ReplyDelete