GANGTOK, 05 July: A landslide blocked traffic on National Highway 31A between Rangpo and Siliguri at Bhotey Bhir, around 2 km into West Bengal from Rangpo, last night. Although cleared by 7.30 a.m., the jam caused by various minor landslips, commuters insists, was because of BRO’s unfinished road widening works along the highway. Mainline vehicles took more than eight hours to reach Gangtok from Siliguri.
Apsara, a regular private bus service, which departed from Siliguri at around 7 a.m. reached the private stand here at Deorali only at around 3 p.m. On normal days, it begins its return journey to Siliguri at 1 p.m.
The tired travelers, however, were subjected to opportunist inflation on their arrival in Gangtok.
The vehicles reached Deorali stand during peak office hours, when hardly any taxi is available. Since mainline taxis are not allowed to ply beyond this point, passengers who have to travel on to town and its surrounding areas are forced to hail a cab. Today, there were some who ran into fleecing cabbies.
As this correspondent reached the spot, a local businessman, who had to take a package brought from Siliguri to PNG Road, was asked to pay Rs. 250 by a local taxi driver. He refused. The driver was then found attempting to sell hiked fares to other passengers from outside Sikkim.
When this correspondent pulled out a camera, some touts turned up and tried to convince him that the driver had actually quoted the fare as Rs. 100.
Later, the passenger confirmed that he paid Rs. 100 to another taxi up to PNG Road.
Apsara, a regular private bus service, which departed from Siliguri at around 7 a.m. reached the private stand here at Deorali only at around 3 p.m. On normal days, it begins its return journey to Siliguri at 1 p.m.
The tired travelers, however, were subjected to opportunist inflation on their arrival in Gangtok.
The vehicles reached Deorali stand during peak office hours, when hardly any taxi is available. Since mainline taxis are not allowed to ply beyond this point, passengers who have to travel on to town and its surrounding areas are forced to hail a cab. Today, there were some who ran into fleecing cabbies.
As this correspondent reached the spot, a local businessman, who had to take a package brought from Siliguri to PNG Road, was asked to pay Rs. 250 by a local taxi driver. He refused. The driver was then found attempting to sell hiked fares to other passengers from outside Sikkim.
When this correspondent pulled out a camera, some touts turned up and tried to convince him that the driver had actually quoted the fare as Rs. 100.
Later, the passenger confirmed that he paid Rs. 100 to another taxi up to PNG Road.
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